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Practice Considerations in Treating Atypical Anorexia: Challenges and Opportunities in Weight-Inclusive Care
November 21, 2024 @ 10:00 am - 11:00 am PST

This presentation addresses some of the clinical challenges that arise when treating patients with atypical anorexia and how to approach these challenges using a weight-inclusive lens. This session will begin with an overview of atypical anorexia, current debates regarding diagnosis and classification, and the clinical implications of diagnostic ambiguity. We will also highlight how diagnostic ambiguity and weight stigma contribute to delayed identification, lack of treatment referral, and challenges with insurance coverage for this population. Next, we will highlight current challenges in nutritional care for patients with atypical anorexia, highlighting difficulties related to lack of clarity regarding weight restoration and refeeding protocols, in addition to challenges working with caregivers and colleagues with differing views regarding goal weights and meal plans. Following, we will discuss challenges in therapeutic work with clients and the additional work clients with atypical anorexia may need to address in order to more fully recover from their eating disorders, including topics of addressing internalized weight stigma, developing diet culture critical consciousness, building fat community, and developing resilience and self-advocacy in the midst of a weight stigmatizing world. Finally, we will briefly touch on issues of therapeutic milieus and the challenges that can arise therein, including confronting the weight stigma of disordered peers, body checking and comparison, and how to best foster healing spaces for patients across the size spectrum.
Learning Objectives:
Following this presentation, participants will be able to:
- Describe the clinical presentation of individuals with atypical anorexia and identify three ways weight stigma may impact their illness and treatment course.
- Identify two challenges in nutritional rehabilitation for patients with atypical anorexia, along with two suggestions for how to approach these.
- Explain five clinical considerations in the treatment of patients with atypical anorexia and discuss ethical responses to these considerations.