Who Does Anorexia Nervosa Affect?
Anorexia Nervosa can affect many different populations including women and men, as well as people of different racial and ethnic backgrounds. While many different types of people may have anorexia nervosa, it primarily affects women (approximately 90%). Most individuals with the disorder develop it in late adolescence or early adulthood, though onset may occur earlier or later.
Diagnostic Criteria for Anorexia Nervosa*
- Refusal to maintain body weight at or above a minimally normal weight for age and height (e.g. weight loss leading to maintenance of body weight less than 85% of that expected)
- Intense fear of gaining weight or becoming fat even though underweight
- Disturbance in the way in which one's body weight or shape is experienced, undue influence of body weight or shape on self evaluation, or denial of the seriousness of the current low body weight
- Post-menarcheal females, amenorrhea i.e. absence of at least three consecutive menstrual cycles
Subtypes
Restricting Type: During the current episode of anorexia nervosa the person has not regularly engaged in binge eating or purging behavior (i.e. self-induced vomiting or the misuse of laxatives, diuretics or enemas).
Binge Eating/Purging Type: During the current episode of anorexia nervosa the person has regularly engaged in binge eating or purging behavior
*These criteria are established by the American Psychiatric Association and published in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition.
What Treatment is Available for Anorexia Nervosa?
We offer inpatient treatment and outpatient treatment for anorexia nervosa for individuals who are eligible and interested in participating in our research studies. Treatment is available for women and men between the ages of 16-45. All treatment programs are free of charge.
The goal of the eating disorder behavioral program is to restore and maintain more normal eating habits and nutritional status. The unit has a multi-disciplinary treatment team approach and uses a combination of behavioral, psychological, pharmacological, individual, family and group therapies.
Our facility is a general clinical research unit consisting of 24 beds in a psychiatric hospital, overlooking the Hudson River.
Click here to read more about the inpatient facilities at NYSPI.
Inpatient/Outpatient Treatment
Inpatient treatment is helpful for patients who are in need of weight restoration and have difficulty doing so outside of a structured setting. Typically, these programs have a multidisciplinary team approach that incorporates individual, family and group psychotherapy. The EDRU provides both inpatient and outpatient treatment for patients interested and eligible in the ongoing research studies.
Day Treatment is available at Columbia University's Eating Disorders Program at East 60th Street.
Post-Hospitalization Psychotherapy
Research has also found outpatient Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (CBT) to be useful in the prevention of relapse following completion of an inpatient program. CBT is a structured psychotherapy that aims to help patients develop a regular pattern of eating and challenge dysfunctional thoughts regarding eating, body shape and weight.
Family Therapy
Outpatient family therapy has been shown to be effective in treating adolescent patients with a recent onset of the disorder.
Medication
Currently, there is little evidence that the psychiatric medications that have been studied are helpful for patients with anorexia nervosa, but research on novel medication approaches is ongoing at our clinic and elsewhere.
For additional information, please call 212-543-5739 or email EDRU@pi.cpmc.columbia.edu
