Eating disorders (EDs) are mental disorders characterized by altered eating habits and excessive concerns about weight and body shape. They arise mainly during adolescence and predominantly affect females. The three most common types of EDs are: •Anorexia nervosa (AN), which is characterized by restriction of food intake, significant low body weight, an intense fear of gaining weight and disturbances in body shape and weight experience; •Bulimia nervosa (BN), which is characterized by recurrent binge-eating episodes followed by behaviors that compensate for the overeating (i.e., self-induced vomiting, excessive exercise, or extreme use of laxatives, enemas or diuretics), and self-evaluation based on body shape and weight; •Binge eating disorder (BED), which is characterized by the recurrence of binge-eating episodes without the use of compensatory behaviors for weight control, and feelings of distress, embarrassment and guilt. To date, researchers and clinicians agree that a multifactorial model is the most suitable for explaining the onset and maintenance of EDs. For example, a risk factor for BED may be lower parental care, as it may trigger greater confusion and uncertainty in responding to unpleasant emotional experiences. This contributes to an impaired personality development, more severe psychopathological symptomatology, and greater difficulty in both identifying and distinguishing feelings of hunger and satiety from other emotions. Attachment styles have also been explored in patients with EDs. According to the attachment theory, attachment insecurity could disrupt the ability to identify and express emotional states and might impair affect regulation skills (i.e. emotional dysregulation). Within the two main dimensions of attachment insecurity (i.e., attachment anxiety and avoidance), higher attachment anxiety is related to greater symptom severity in patients with AN and BN. Moreover, prior studies have examined impaired emotional competences (ECs), theory of mind (ToM) and metacognition, which refer to how individuals identify, express, understand, regulate, and use their emotions or those of significant others. These skills may also explain why attachment insecurity places individuals at greater risk of EDs. Although particular personality traits (i.e. impulsivity, perfectionism, self-esteem), attachment styles, trauma, and metacognition clearly play a role in the onset and maintenance of EDs, little is known about their associations and underlying mechanisms.

Now in its second edition, this established text provides the practical information needed to treat patients with anorexia nervosa and related eating disorders. It is suitable for all health care professionals involved in eating disorder management, with special information provided for general practitioners, nurses, family carers and nutritionists.

Weight management is a multi- and cross-disciplinary challenge. This book covers many etiological and diagnostic aspects of weight-related disorders and their treatment. This book explains how body weight influences and is influenced by the brain, hormones and immune system, diet, physical activity, posture and gait, and the social environment. This book also elucidates the health consequences of significantly low or pathologically increased body weight. Furthermore, ideas on how to influence and manage body weight including anti-obesity medical devices, diet counselling, artificial sweeteners, prebiotics and probiotics, proanthocyanidins, bariatric surgery, microbiota transplantation, warming, physical exercise, music and psychological therapy are discussed.

This manual presents an evidence-based focal psychodynamic approach for the outpatient treatment of adults with anorexia nervosa, which has been shown to produce lasting changes for patients. The reader first gains a thorough understanding of the general models and theories of anorexia nervosa. The book then describes in detail a three-phase treatment using focal psychodynamic psychotherapy. It provides extensive hands-on tips, including precise assessment of psychodynamic themes and structures using the Operationalized Psychodynamic Diagnosis (OPD) system, real-life case studies, and clinical pearls. Clinicians also learn how to identify and treat typical ego structural deficits in the areas of affect experience and differentiation, impulse control, self-worth regulation, and body perception. Detailed case vignettes provide deepened insight into the therapeutic process. A final chapter explores the extensive empirical studies on which this manual is based, in particular the renowned multicenter ANTOP study. Printable tools in the appendices can be used in daily practice. This book is of interest to clinical psychologists, psychotherapists, psychiatrists, counselors, and students.