New Treatment for Hospitalized Anorexia Patients

It may seem counterintuitive, but when someone with the eating disorder anorexia nervosa is hospitalized, treatment often begins by cutting calories. Now, new research suggests that those eating restrictions can be safely relaxed in the hospital.

Starting with a lower-calorie diet has long been thought to prevent big shifts in fluid and electrolytes that can lead to cardiac arrest, coma, and even death, said study lead author Andrea Garber. She’s chief nutritionist for the University of California, San Francisco’s Eating Disorders Program.

Though this has been the practice for decades, experts suspected that adding calories might speed recovery. Plus, with current medical technology and lab capabilities, doctors can safely monitor shifts in health and adjust treatment quickly if necessary.

The study compared typical care — around 1,400 calories on the first day — to starting at 2,000 calories a day. Not only did researchers find that the extra calories could be given safely, patients getting extra food reached “medical stability” three days sooner.

Read more at NEWSMAX.

{Matzav.com}