Eating Disorders and Obesity

Book excerpt: Both practical and comprehensive, this book provides a clear framework for the assessment, treatment, and prevention of eating disorders and obesity. Focusing on best practices and offering a range of current techniques, leaders in the field examine these life-threatening disorders and propose treatment options for clients of all ages. This text, written specifically for counselors, benefits from the authors’ collective expertise and emphasizes practitioner-friendly, wellness-based approaches that counselors can use in their daily practice. Parts I and II of the text address risk factors in and sociocultural influences on the development of eating disorders, gender differences, the unique concerns of clients of color, ethical and legal issues, and assessment and diagnosis. Part III explores prevention and early intervention with high-risk groups in school, university, and community settings. The final section presents a variety of treatment interventions, such as cognitive–behavioral, interpersonal, dialectical behavior, and family-based therapy.