Diagnosis and Treatment of Eating Disorders in Children and Adolescents

Dear Colleagues,

Eating disorders are among the most prevalent, disabling, and potentially fatal mental disorders of unknown aetiology that can go undetected for years. Diagnostic systems recognise six main types of eating disorders: anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, binge eating disorder, avoidant restrictive food intake disorder, pica, and rumination disorder.

Disturbed eating attitude is a key factor in the origin and disease sustenance that can result in medical complications of numerous organs. Due to physiological characteristics of growth and development, complications in children and adolescents can be serious, even irreversible if recognized late.

Thus, multidisciplinary approach, in which paediatricians play a multiple role, is fundamental, along with medical stabilization and timely nutritional recovery, for effective psychiatric intervention.

The prevalence of eating disorders has been steadily increasing worldwide over the last few decades, breaking geographical, cultural and social barriers, with a particularly alarming incidence rate observed in young people, thereby making it a grave public health concern. These disorders are extremely difficult to diagnose because most often patients only present with metabolic complications and even after routine blood tests, seriously affected individuals can appear to be healthy. Moreover, distorted body shape perceptions compel individuals to hide the main symptoms and they avoid seeking specialist care, further adding on to the challenges of timely recognition and treatment of eating disorders.

This Special Issue therefore aims to increase the knowledge of these complex disorders by inviting researchers and experts in this field—physicians, paediatricians, psychiatrists, psychologists, epidemiologists, nutritionists, kinesiologists and sports coaches—who work in close association with children and adolescents. Special focus will be laid on diagnostic approaches, and the design of practice and treatment modalities for patients/families.

Prof. Dr. Orjena Žaja
Dr. Ivan Begovac
Guest Editors

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• eating disorders
• anorexia nervosa
• bulimia nervosa
• avoidant restrictive food intake disorder
• binge eating disorder
• atypical anorexia nervosa
• pica
• rumination disorder
• adolescents
• children
• medical complications
• body shape
• disturbed eating attitude
• multidisciplinary approach
• nutritional recovery
• growth and development