Nutrition Intervention for Eating Disorders

Anorexia nervosa is an eating disorder where excess weight loss and lack of inappropriate weight gain as the indicators. Anorexic patients usually restrict the amount of calorie intake and have a narrow range of food preferences. Other than that, excessive and compulsive exercise, as well as purging or vomiting and use of laxatives is usually associates to anorexic behaviour in order for them to lose weight. In normal people, they will easily gain weight if they increase their food intake, but not for anorexic patients. Marzola et. al (2013) explains that anorexic patients tend to become hypermetabolic where they are resistance to gain weight. Hence, a large amount of food is needed for anorexia nervosa patients to gain weight.Nutrition Intervention for Eating Disorders

They are many nutrition intervention and strategies for treating anorexia nervosa patients. Marzola et. al. also suggests that in order to treat anorexic patients, the caloric restoration can be improved by increasing the variety of foods that are prescribed for the patients. This is because usually, they have a limited preference for food. In addition, this is important to replenish the essential micronutrients and macronutrients loss during the restriction period. During the restoration period, it is important to emphasize on meeting the required nutrients. This can be achieved through improved food intake. Improved food intake is said to help to reduce the anxiety and resistance to re-feeding.Nutrition Intervention for Eating Disorders