We all need food. This fact has been known to us since our infancy and has been known to our ancestors since the beginning of life on earth. The nutrients that food provides gives us the energy and building blocks to live our lives healthily. There are some people however who purposely avoid or severely limit their food intake. You may be asking, who would choose to avoid food if its importance is universally recognized? Well, the answer may be larger scoping than you think. A review of multiple studies concluded that around 0.3% of young females suffer from anorexia or the minimal consumption of foods that lead to unhealthy weight gain. That is a frightening statistic, but that number greatly increase from external pressures and responsibilities. This is seen most widely in dancers whose prevalence of anorexia is 3 to 4 times higher than the general population. Factors that affect how you eat are not just external, but internal as well. Abnormalities in the brain can also lead to altered or reduced consumption of foods. Whether or not the cause is internal or external, there are luckily ways to change or cope with these behaviors that are a massive problem in the world. Eating disorders, the external and internal factors that influence them, and the ways to help with these problems need to be addressed for a world with a growing population that is caring more and more about their appearances.

Now that we have discussed the causes and consequences of eating disorders, let’s talk about how nutrition intervention aids in eating disorders treatment by dietitians. The most frequent assessment strategy was the 24-hour recall; rapport-building strategies was reflective listening strategies; educational strategies were individualized meal planning; “Doing” behavioral change strategies was using small increments when goal-setting; “Thinking/Feeling” behavioral change strategies were the Transtheoretical Model of Change. Nutrition counseling that was purely educational was less effective than cognitive behavioral strategies. Using nutrition counseling and cognitive behavioral therapy together was thought to have a synergic benefit.

Training plays an important role in improving skills in nutritional treatments. Innovative strategies in eating disorder training include developing and disseminating massive open online courses, simulated patient encounters, web-based curricula, collaborative learning experiences for trainees across disciplines, use of resources at the Academy of Eating Disorders website, brief training seminars, and distant learning strategies. There is also an emphasis on significant ways to improve knowledge and skills in the treatment of eating disorders which are having “benefits of supervision, regular case meetings and discussions with the treating team, as well as attendance at all case reviews”.

Many people think that individuals with eating disorders choose to be that way. In actuality, eating disorders are serious illnesses. Eating disorders impact all aspects of someone’s life – relationships with family members, friends, and coworkers, as well as functioning in academic settings and the workplace. Thoughts, emotions, attitudes, and behaviors regarding weight and food issues are constant for those with eating disorders, and it can make it impossible to live a normal life.