Eating disorders

Growing evidence of the beneficial effects of a marine protein-based dietary supplement for treating hair loss

BACKGROUND

Hair loss is a common condition among women with a range of causes including nutritional deficiencies.

AIMS

To review the clinical data supporting the use of an oral marine supplement designed to promote hair growth.

PATIENTS/METHODS

Adult women with temporary thinning hair. Following an initial pilot study, five randomized, double-blind studies assessed the effectiveness of the oral marine supplement for promoting hair growth. Each study was approved by one or more institutional review boards.

RESULTS

Together, these studies demonstrated the ability of oral marine supplements to increase the growth of terminal and vellus hairs, increase the diameter of terminal and vellus hairs, and decrease hair loss. This product is beneficial for men as well as women.

CONCLUSIONS

A dietary supplement containing a marine complex and other natural ingredients can safely and effectively promote hair growth and decrease hair shedding in women and men with thinning hair.

Adolescents and Eating Disorders:

Little is known about the incidence and prevalence of eating disorders among adolescents of color who are poor or identify themselves as gay or lesbian. Among American women, eating disturbances are equally as common among Native, Asian, or Hispanic Americans as they are among Caucasians. African Americans were at higher risk of developing eating disorders than were Hispanic and Asian Americans. Media and gender-role body stereotype and body dissatisfaction are strongly linked and have been shown to be the strongest predictors of disordered eating. As these youth adopt Western values about beauty, they may be at increased risk for developing eating disorders.

Treatment of Bulimia Nervosa:

This article reviews the current literature with regard to psychological and psychopharmacologic treatments for bulimia nervosa in the adolescent population. The two most researched psychological treatments, cognitive behavior therapy and interpersonal therapy, are described in terms of treatment protocols and outcome research. Psychopharmacologic treatment is reviewed, including treatment indications, contraindications, dose respondent information, and the need for future research.

Case report on anorexia nervosa

Anorexia nervosa is an eating disorder characterized by excessive restriction on food intake and irrational fear of gaining weight, often accompanied by a distorted body self-perception. It is clinically diagnosed more frequently in females, with type and severity varying with each case. The current report is a case of a 25-year-old female, married for 5 years, educated up to 10(th) standard, a homemaker, hailing from an upper social class Hindu (Marvadi) family, living with husband's family in Urban Bangalore; presented to our tertiary care centre with complaints of gradual loss of weight, recurrent episodes of vomiting, from a period of two years, menstrual irregularities from 1 year and amenorrhea since 6 months, with a probable precipitating factor being husband's critical comment on her weight. Diagnosis of atypical anorexia nervosa was made, with the body mass index (BMI) being 15.6. A multidisciplinary therapeutic approach was employed to facilitate remission. Through this case report the authors call for the attention of general practitioners and other medical practitioners to be aware of the symptomatology of eating disorders as most patients would overtly express somatic conditions similar to the reported case so as to facilitate early psychiatric intervention.

Orlistat abuse in a case of bulimia nervosa: the changing Indian society

Eating disorders like bulimia nervosa, generally considered to be rare in Asian countries, are currently on the rise among the youth, probably secondary to rapid westernization and globalization of the orient. Clinical manifestations of these disorders, which were previously thought to be different in the oriental countries, are now also often seen to parallel their western counterparts. However, detailed clinical descriptions of such cases from Asian countries, documenting the societal change, are missing. In addition, the possibility of abuse of various anti-obesity drugs as a part of bulimic compensatory behavior is high in this population, given the easy and unsupervised access of these drugs over the counter. We report a case of bulimia nervosa in a female medical graduate from India, presenting with classic bulimic symptomatology and with a compensatory behavior consisting almost exclusively of Orlistat abuse. This case sensitizes health professionals to the abuse liability of new medications like Orlistat and also documents the changing symptomatology of bulimia nervosa in India.

Unusual presentation of uncommon disease: anorexia nervosa presenting as wernicke-korsakoff syndrome-a case report from southeast Asia

Anorexia nervosa presenting as Wernicke-Korsakoff syndrome is rare. The causes of Wernicke-Korsakoff syndrome are multiple like alcohol abuse, thyrotoxicosis, haemodialysis, severe malnutrition because of gastric carcinoma and pyloric obstruction, hyperemesis gravidarum, and prolonged parenteral feeding. We report a case of anorexia nervosa, who presented with Wernicke's encephalopathy and progressed to Korsakoff's syndrome. Knowledge, awareness, and early intervention of anorexia nervosa by mental health professionals can prevent development of Wernicke-Korsakoff syndrome.

Child overweight--mothers' competence to take action

OBJECTIVE

We investigated mothers' possession and display of action competence to counteract or prevent overweight and eventual obesity in their children. Action competence is defined as a personal resource where the most important aspect is the individual's wish to take action and to believe in its benefit. It unfolds within the room for action as experienced by the individual due to action obstacles and action potentials.

METHODS

In a case-control study, mothers of 111 overweight children (MOC) were compared with mothers of 149 non-overweight children (MNC). They underwent a semistructured interview about action competence, lifestyle, and their 7- to 9-year-old children.

RESULTS

Compared to MNC, MOC considered it more important to change habits, both for themselves (p = 0.003) and their children (p < 0.001). MOC were more motivated to change habits (p < 0.001), assessed their action competence to be higher (p < 0.001), and felt to a greater extent that they supported their children to achieve an appropriate weight (p < 0.001) compared with MNC. No difference was found between MOC and MNC in the assessment of their own room for action and their children's room for action.

CONCLUSION

Self-assessed room for action was not limited for either MOC or MNC, and MOC even assessed their action competence to be greater.

Management of anorexia and bulimia nervosa: An evidence-based review

Anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa are primarily psychiatric disorders characterized by severe disturbances of eating behavior. Eating disorders are most prevalent in the Western culture where food is in abundance and female attractiveness is equated with thinness. Eating disorders are rare in countries like India. Despite a plethora of management options available to the mental health professionals, no major breakthrough has been achieved in recent years. Nutritional rehabilitation along with some form of re educative psychotherapy remains the mainstay of management of anorexia nervosa. In bulimia nervosa, both fluoxetine and cognitive behavior therapy have been found to be effective. Although the above-mentioned management options have been in use for decades, the active ingredient is still to be ascertained.

Eating disorders in the female patient: pathophysiology and treatment strategies

Eating disorders are common in girls and women. Two common eating disorders--anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa--have significant medical complications. Oral and maxillofacial surgeons must be cognizant of the signs, symptoms, and medical consequences of these disorders. The increased incidence of these diseases has implications in the surgical management the oral and maxillofacial surgery patient. A review of the literature and guidelines in the perioperative management of these surgical patients are presented in this article.

Eating disorders in college

Anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa are serious chronic psychiatric disorders that can result in significant medical and psychologic outcomes. These multifaceted disorders affect the emotions, thinking, behavior, and physical health of afflicted individuals. Symptoms often peak during the years many youth are attending college. The intersection of issues of emancipation, individuation, intimacy, and eating disorders may be part of the reason that researchers report a high incidence of eating disorders in this specialized population. This article presents an overview of eating disorders in the college population and covers psychologic and psychopharmacologic treatment.