Anorexia nervosa & bulimia

Anorexia nervosa - deliberate self-starvation - has been estimated to afflict one in 200 white females between the ages of 12 and 18. Bulimia - binge-eating followed by self-induced vomiting, laxative abuse, or fasting - can occur as a symptom of anorexia nervosa or as a separate syndrome. Its prevalence in the population is harder to measure since sufferers do not necessarily lose noticeable amounts of weight and their behavior can be kept secret. Recent research indicates that the incidence of these disorders is increasing and that they are associated with serious medical and psychological risks. Because the causes and symptoms of anorexia nervosa and bulimia overlap, they are best looked at together, as part of a spectrum of eating disorders. Few books, however, provide an integrated approach. The book is organized in three parts. Part one, on diagnosis and assessment, includes a discussion of the medical complications and the complex psychodynamics of anorexia nervosa and bulimia. Part two outlines the treatment plans developed at the University of Minnesota and at other medical centers. Mitchell and his colleagues describe the application of behavioral principles to the treatm