June 25 program takes holistic approach to eating disorders
May 30, 2008A new Rural Health Education Foundation television program airing on Wednesday 25th June - Eating Disorders: A Holistic Approach - examines eating disorders such as binge eating, bulimia and anorexia nervosa, and explores the latest approaches to treatment and management.
Eating Disorders: A Holistic Approach also outlines the latest research, and emphasises the need for a co-ordinated approach to management involving GPs, dietitians, psychologists and other health professionals.
A growing problem
“Research indicates that about 1 in 20 Australians now have an eating disorder,” says Rural Health Education Foundation CEO Don Perlgut. “That’s a doubling in prevalence in only 10 years.”
“And in rural Australia, the absence of local specialist services for eating disorders often means that the burden of care falls to GPs,” says Mr Perlgut. “So it’s essential that GPs have the knowledge, understanding and skills to detect and manage patients with an eating disorder and to work cooperatively with local dietitians, psychologists, mental health services and regional hospitals.”
“Eating Disorders: A Holistic Approach discusses the support available for people with eating disorders, along with their families and carers, and explores the particular issues faced by patients and health professionals in rural areas,” he says.
Live program featuring an expert panel
The format of Eating Disorders: A Holistic Approach is a live panel discussion led by Dr Norman Swan and featuring leading medical practitioners including Associate Professor Jenny O’Dea, a dietitian and health and nutrition education researcher at the University of Sydney’s Faculty of Education and Social Work; Natalie Wild, a Recovery Officer with the Eating Disorders Foundation of Victoria; and ACT-based educational and sports psychologist Gayelene Clews.
Broadcast details
The hour-long program will be broadcast live across the Rural Health Education Foundation’s satellite television network on Wednesday 25th June at 8pm (AEST), with repeats at 8.00pm Perth time that same evening (two hours later) and 12.30pm on Friday 27th June.
The program is sponsored by the Australian Government Department of Health and Ageing.
Available on DVD, video and the web
DVD and video copies of this program will be available for purchase after the broadcasts via on DVD & video.
Eating disorders - who is at risk?
Although we often associate the condition with teenage girls, recent research indicates that many people in Australia with eating disorders are in their thirties or older and have a history of problems with weight and body image. The incidence is also increasing among young men and teenage boys. Eating disorders can be found in people as young as seven and as old as 70.
Some of the common themes among people with eating disorders include: low self esteem, the need to seek the approval of others, difficulties in expressing needs and feelings including anger and anxiety, perfectionism and lack of assertiveness.
Although eating disorders are found among all ethnic and socio-economic groups, a recent study of 9,000 Australian children - which is discussed in Eating Disorders: A Holistic Approach - has shown that obesity is heavily concentrated in low-income families and children from a Pacific Islander, Middle Eastern or Indigenous background.
More information
For more information on Eating Disorders: A Holistic Approach - including presenter details, access instructions and associated educational resources - refer to the program summary or contact the Foundation.