A Parent's Guide to Eating Disorders and Obesity Book

	Foreword	1
	Acknowledgments	4
	Introduction	7
	Author's Note	12
1	Profiles of Three Young Women with Eating Disorders	13
2	Understanding Eating Disorders	23
	The Focus on Food	23
	The Focus on Weight	26
	An Historical Perspective on Anorexia	28
	An Historical Perspective on Bulimia	32
	The Prevalence Among Females	33
	Young Men with Eating Disorders	36
3	Recognizing Eating Disorders	38
	Warning Signs of Anorexia	38
	Warning Signs of Bulimia	39
	Warning Signs of Compulsive Overeating	40
	Can Eating Disorders Overlap?	41
	Keeping Things in Perspective	41
4	Anorexia Nervosa	45
	Diagnosing Anorexia	48
	Medical Complications	49
	Effects on Physical Growth and Sexual Maturation	51
	Psychological Effects	52
	Prevalence and Prognosis	55
	"How Did Her Anorexia Start?"	56
	Family Environment	58
5	Bulimia	65
	Diagnosing Bulimia	67
	Medical Symptoms and Complications	70
	Psychological Effects	72
	Prevalence and Prognosis	75
	"How Did Her Bulimia Start?"	76
	Family Environment	81
6	Compulsive Overeating	84
	Recognizing Compulsive Overeating	85
	Who Is at Risk?	87
	Social Attitudes Toward Overeating	88
	Emotional Distress and Compulsive Overeating	89
7	Obesity	91
	Definition and Statistics	92
	The Increasing Incidence of Childhood Obesity	93
	Medical Complications	95
	Psychological Effects	96
	The Origins of Obesity	98
	Metabolism and Growth Patterns	100
	Treatment of Childhood Obesity	102
8	Treatment of Eating Disorders	115
	Don't Procrastinate	117
	Taking the First Step	117
	Telling Your Child	118
	Anticipating Her Response	120
	Locating a Therapist	122
	A Family Approach to Therapy	122
	Consumer Issues	137
9	Toward Recovery	140
	Learning Another Language	141
	Bridging Your Experiences	142
	"Just Tell Us What to Do"	143
	Some Points to Keep in Mind	143
	What You May Expect	147
	Therapy in Three Acts	149
	Toward Termination	151
	Notes	154
	Resources	156
	Index	161