Body Image, Eating Disorders, and Obesity

I have had the opportunity to work with many individuals with some manifestation of an eating disturbance, including anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, obesity, and binge eating disorder. These interactions led to an awareness of the particular problems encountered by these patients. This book brings together the findings from my own collaborations with colleagues, along with those from many noted researchers in the field. Body image is of central importance in the effective assessment and management of eating disorders (EDs) and obesity. Thus, body image became a major unifying theme of the book. A 2nd reason for undertaking this work was to provide empirically supported information about the most effective assessment and treatment strategies for body image disturbance, EDs, and obesity. With regard to assessment, this has resulted in an emphasis on psychometrically sound assessment instruments, interview methodologies, and medical evaluation of physical status. With regard to treatment, the emphasis is on cognitive-behavioral and pharmacologic interventions, although other approaches are also discussed, because cognitive-behavioral and pharmacological therapies have the most empirical support. One goal was to provide information at differing levels of clinician sophistication. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2008 APA, all rights reserved).