Eating Disorders and Obesity: Recognition and Treatment of National Concerns

Course overview

This course was designed for nurses seeking to expand their knowledge of eating disorders and obesity and who want to help clients recover from these potentially fatal problems. The purpose of this education program is to provide new information for nurses so that they can more effectively help patients recover from eating disorders, overcome obesity, and achieve and maintain a normal weight for their height and age. Eating disorders and obesity affect a significant number of Americans as well as persons throughout the world. Prevention of these problems as well as early recognition and treatment are imperative. Much of prevention depends on changing the way society views the size and shape of the human body. Unrealistic portrayals of extremely thin women in film and in the printed media may set up corresponding unrealistic expectations of what one’s own body should look like. Just as important is the need to change the way Americans view what is, and what is not, a proper diet. Portion size, the amount of fruits and vegetables, as well as the amounts of fat and calories, are all issues that require education. A healthy diet, the proper amount of exercise, and a healthy sense of self all contribute to body image, appropriate weight, and maximal health. Genetic factors, culture, family dynamics and physical and mental health all contribute to an individual’s state of health. These issues also contribute to the risk for eating disorders, overweight, and obesity. There is no single answer to the question of what definitively causes eating disorders, nor is there one answer as to why one person becomes obese and another does not. Like all health issues, the interrelationship between mind and body influences the state of health and wellness. Researchers are currently investigating a multitude of factors regarding prevention, cause, and treatment of eating disorders and obesity. There are no “quick fixes,” despite products that advertise themselves as such. Nurses must include education regarding the dangers of weight loss products that contain potentially harmful ingredients as part of their client/family instruction. They must also teach clients and families about the dangers of websites that promote and even encourage behaviors that contribute to the development of eating disorders. Nurses are often the first members of the healthcare team to recognize the signs and symptoms of eating disorders or the need to intervene when a person is gaining too much weight. Nurses should strive to use such knowledge to improve practice and provide leadership for the improvement of client care. LEARNING OBJECTIVES: 1. Define the various recognized eating disorders. 2. Discuss the incidence and prevalence of eating disorders. 3. Explain possible factors that influence the development of eating disorders. 4. Discuss the incidence and prevalence of recognized eating disorders. 5. Identify possible causes of recognized eating disorders. 6. Describe risk factors for recognized eating disorders. 7. Correlate the clinical presentation of recognized eating disorders with their pathophysiology. 8. Identify the diagnostic criteria for recognized eating disorders. 9. Discuss treatment interventions for recognized eating disorders. 10. Identify nursing interventions for clients with recognized eating disorders. 11. Describe other specified feeding or eating disorders. 12. Define obesity. 13. Discuss the incidence and prevalence of obesity in the United States. 14. Identify the causes of obesity. 15. Explain the consequences of obesity in adults and children. 16. State interventions to prevent and reduce obesity in adults and children. 17. Explain the dangers of fad diets and quick weight loss schemes. 18. Discuss options for weight loss surgery. 19. Identify nursing interventions for clients with obesity.