Eating Disorders

The diagnostic category of eating disorders encompasses anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, and the heterogeneous group of eating disorders not otherwise specified, most prominent among which is binge-eating disorder, currently detailed in research criteria in DSM-IV-TR and under consideration for inclusion as a separate diagnosis. In recent decades researchers have increasingly appreciated the multifaceted contributions to the etiology and pathogenesis of eating disorders, including genetic, familial, developmental, and psychosocial influences. Comorbidity with other axis I and axis II disorders is common, and medical comorbidity is of particular significance because of marked nutritional impairments that often accompany these disorders. Although the evidence-based treatment literature is sparse, particularly for anorexia nervosa, progress has been made with respect to nutritional, psychosocial, and psychopharmacological interventions for these disorders, and a growing consensus among clinicians has resulted in practice guidelines that attend to each of these dimensions.