Nutritional therapy in anorexia and bulimia nervosa

Abstract

Food and diet have an important role in the development and maintenance of eating disorders. Thus, they should be properly addressed in the treatment program for such disorders. Patients with eating disorders present dietary restrictions, unhealthy eating patterns, modified nutritional patterns, and unhealthy eating behaviors due to false myths and beliefs, and to a feeling of incompetence in dealing with food. Dietary restrictions, as well as the unhealthy eating patterns carried out by these patients may lead to changes in the nutritional status that require specific dietetic care in order to be corrected. Nutrition rehabilitation is required to restore the dietetic pattern, teaching the meaning of a normal and balanced diet. Furthermore, this unhealthy eating behavior requires nutritional counseling, aiming at clarifying doubts and demystifying wrong beliefs, discussing and readjusting patients' relationship with food.