Summary

Eating disorders attract a considerable amount of media attention, and are currently being diagnosed more frequently. In general they affect more women than men, but the reasons why some women develop these disorders are not always very well understood. In this work, the relationship between eating disorders and sexuality is discussed, and up-to-date information on diagnosis and treatment is provided. Specific conditions including anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, and obesity are fully covered. The book has been extensively rewritten for this edition and includes sections on infertility and pregnancy in women with anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa. Eating disorders are now managed by less authoritarian treatment programs administered by teams of health care professionals (rather than by individual doctors). Some new case histories have been added to the book to illustrate these changes. This work emphasizes the importance of learning sensible eating and exercise patterns, and the role of self-help groups for those recovering from eating disorders.