Anorexia Nervosa

Anorexia Nervosa

Anorexia Nervosa (AN) is a potentially life-threatening mental illness with serious medical complications. It can affect people regardless of gender, age, race, ethnicity, body shape, weight, sexual orientation and socioeconomic status.

Some common signs and symptoms of AN include:

• Preoccupation with eating, food, body shape and weight 
• Distorted body image, intense fear of gaining weight and sudden weight loss
• Radical changes in food preferences and quantities eaten
• Compulsive or excessive exercise and misuse of diuretics and/or laxatives

How our dietitians can help with AN: 

• Education on anorexia nervosa including neurobiology, interplay with neurodivergence (ASD/ADHD), clarifying common misconceptions, and understanding the different eating disorder treatment models
• Education on the role of nutrition restoration on physical, social, and emotional wellbeing 
• Providing specific guidance on gold-standard GP medical monitoring to ensure medical safety and minimise risk, including frequency of monitoring
• Challenging false beliefs about food, nutrition and weight
• Providing nutrition therapy to achieve or maintain medical stability, reverse malnutrition, prevent refeeding syndrome, restore menstruation (if relevant) and resume growth and normal development if a child or adolescent
• Creating personalised staged meal plans for renourishment and in FBT, empowering caregivers to play an active role in refeeding and normalising eating behaviours
• Reducing distress around food, including thoughts, emotions, and distressing digestive symptoms such as nausea, bloating, pain, early fullness, constipation or diarrhoea
• Identifying and challenging fear foods, food rules, food rituals and other disordered behaviours
• Providing guidance on vitamin and mineral supplementation
• Taste testing of medical nutrition supplement drinks and scripts to purchase them at a reduced price
• Providing in-session meal support to help rebuild and model healthy eating behaviours in a safe and controlled way. We support a team approach and our Dietwise dogs Ella, Eddie and Reggie can join us too

Learn more about how our dietitians support your recovery

We believe recovery from Anorexia Nervosa is possible and we will work as part of a team with other health professionals in your recovery. Our Dietitians use evidence-based treatment approaches such as: enhanced Cognitive Behaviour Therapy-Enhanced (CBT-E), Family Based Treatment (FBT) and the principles of Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT), and Acceptance & Commitment Therapy (ACT). 

Learn more information about warning signs and health impacts of Anorexia Nervosa.