Psychiatric NewsAPA Releases Updated Guideline for Treating Eating Disorders

Redefining Eating Disorders Treatment: Unveiling APA’s Comprehensive Updated Guidelines

As we mark a notable pivot in the understanding and treatment of eating disorders, the APA heralds a seminal updated practice guideline, marking the first comprehensive refresh since 2006. This authoritative guide distills 17 years of clinical and diagnostic advances, fundamentally reshaping the approaches to diagnostics and therapies for eating disorders.

Key Points:

• The APA has introduced an updated practice guideline for treating eating disorders, the first significant update since 2006.
• The new guideline incorporates advancements in diagnostics following the publication of DSM-5 in 2013 and DSM-5-TR in 2022.
• These publications broadened diagnostic criteria for anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa and added binge-eating disorder and avoidant/restrictive food intake disorder (ARFID) categories.
• The guideline includes comprehensive sections on assessing and treating binge-eating disorder and assessing patients with ARFID.
• The guideline puts forward 16 clinical recommendations encompassing aspects like screening, comprehensive patient evaluations, and patient-centered treatment plans.

Additional Points:

• The guideline advocates for culturally sensitive treatment plans, individualized weight goals for anorexia patients, and the inclusion of eating disorder-focused psychotherapy.
• Family-based therapy is recommended for adolescents with anorexia or bulimia as part of the treatment plan.
• APA has developed supplementary materials to aid health professionals, including a clinician pocket guide, educational slides, and an online tool for symptom assessment and screening.
• The resources were funded through a grant from the Council of Medical Specialty Societies.