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7
t h
E u r o p e a n C o n g r e s s o n
Obesity and
Eating Disorder
Obesity 2018
Journal of Obesity & Eating Disorders
ISSN 2471-8203
A p r i l 1 2 - 1 3 , 2 0 1 8
Am s t e r d a m , N e t h e r l a n d s
Page 48
D
espite the consensus among experts that emotional
processes playing an important role in the development of
pathological eating habits that contribute to the aetiology of
obesity, until present day, there isn’t an efficient psychological
treatment that can reverse obesity once it occurs. In 1968
the 2nd edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual
of Mental Disorders (DSM-II) obesity firstly was defined
as mental illness and it was grouped together with other
psychophysiological disorders. Later on, in the 3rd edition
of the DSM it was abolished. As a consequence, over the
years, treatment protocol for obesity generally ignored the
emotional component and focused on the pharmacological
and surgical procedures. Today, bariatric surgery has become
the leading successful procedure to reverse obesity. While
this solution is very helpful for selected population group
of obese patients, it might be harmful to other. Night Eating
Syndrome (NES) and Binge Eating Disorder (BED) were first
characterized in 1955 and 1959 respectively by Dr. Albert
What should we know about eating disorders before
starting the treatment of obesity?
Eitan Gur
Sheba Medical Center, Israel
J Obes Eat Disord 2018, Volume: 4
DOI: 10.21767/2471-8203-C1-009
Stunkard. Only half a century later, after extensive research that
supported its clinical utility and validity, they were eventually
defined as distinct disorders in the 5th edition of the DSM
(2013). The relevance of these diagnosis in the treatment
algorithm of obesity should not be underestimated since it is
estimated that BED is present in a third of the obese patients
and in one study, as many as 28% of individuals seeking gastric
bypass surgery, were found to suffer from NES. Treating this
sub group of obese patients according to general protocol
without considering pre-treatment for their eating disorder can
yield negative results and deterioration in their physical and
mental condition. Therefore, any expert treating obese patients
should be trained to diagnose these disorders, and to learn to
combine specific treatment procedures suitable for them in the
general treatment plan.
eitan.gur@sheba.health.gov.il