Define Nutrition Counseling - Management of Eating Disorders?
Nutrition counseling can be used to accomplish a variety of goals, such as reducing behaviours related to the eating disorder, minimizing food restrictions, correcting nutritional deficiencies, increasing the variety of foods eaten and encouraging healthy and not excessive exercise pattern. Nutrition Education is an important aspect of the treatment. The patients report an extremely good knowledge of foods and nutrition. For example, most anorexia nervosa patients try to argue against adding calorie rich foods to their diet because they have known their energy values. However, their interpretation of facts may be faulty because of the nature of their illness. They need to be educated about the impact of malnutrition on growth, development and behaviour. They should be made aware of the importance of balanced diet, food guide pyramid and also the ineffectiveness of vomiting, laxatives and diuretics in long-term weight control. Education may be imparted individually or in a group setting. Treatment of anorexia-bulimia syndromes is a long-term affair. Many a time's failures are experienced. It requires great perseverance and consistent effort by the patient, the family and the dietician/physician for effective outcome.