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Division of Family Health > Teen & Young Adult Health Program > Eating Disorders Prevention and Treatment in Maine

Eating Disorders Prevention and Treatment in Maine

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Background

Eating disorders include a variety of illnesses such as anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, and binge-eating. These illnesses affect people of all ages, but are more common in teens, young adults, and females. They are serious mental and physical health problems that can be life-threatening. Coordination between different professionals is critical to effective prevention and treatment of eating disorders .

  • Nationally, it is estimated that:
    • 1% of young women ages 10-20 have anorexia.
    • 4% of young adult women have bulimia.
    • 1% of all women have a binge-eating disorder.
  • In 2005, the Youth Risk Behavior Survey(YRBS) (www.mainecshp.com/survey.html) showed that in Maine:
    • Over half of all students were trying to lose weight, while only a quarter were overweight or were at risk of becoming overweight.
    • 68% of high school girls reported they were then trying to lose weight.
    • 6 times as many girls believed they were overweight than actually were.
    • Of all those trying to lose weight, 11% used fasting, 6% used diet pills, 5% vomited. All of these methods are unhealthy methods of weight loss, and may be early signs of an eating disorder.

The Teen and Young Adult Health Program co-chairs an Eating Disorders work group with Mainely Girls. The mission of the Eating Disorders Work Group is:

  • To promote healthy eating habits, physical activity, positive self-esteem and body image;
  • To provide early identification for effective treatment;
  • To identify and increase eating disorders prevention and treatment resources in Maine; and
  • To reduce the number of people with eating disorders in Maine.

The State Physical Activity and Nutrition Plan (www.healthymainepartnerships.org/panp/PANP_plan_2005_2010.aspx) also addresses eating disorders by including these two objectives:

  • Reduce the number of people with eating disorders such as anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa.
  • Reduce the proportion of Maine people who use weight loss strategies that endanger their health.

Currently, there is no specific funding for eating disorder prevention, but there are a number of opportunities for programs to work together and pool their resources to better address eating disorders.

Resources:

If you think you may have an eating disorder, or have a friend you think may have an eating disorder, please call the Statewide Crisis Hotline (1-888-568-1112) in emergency or the Statewide Warm Line at 211.

Information on Providers in Maine can be found through one or more of the following web-based referral systems:

School nurses and guidance counselors may also know of local resources.

General information for teens and parents can be found at:

  • The Center for Young Women’s Health at Boston Children’s Hospital

www.youngwomenshealth.org

Resources for teachers can be found at:

  • Health Education Resource Center at the University of Maine, Orono, www.library.umaine.edu/herc/
  • Maine Office of Substance Abuse, Information and Resource Center:

www.maine.gov/dhhs/osa/irc/

  • Curriculum Resource Center of Maine: www.crcom.org
  • A Guide to Linking Key Concepts (eating disorders key concepts to be added soon):

www.mainecshp.com/health_education/Kathy/KeyConcepts%20Cover.html

Please note providing this information does not imply endorsement of any organization or its resources. The Teen and Young Adult Health Program, the Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention, and the Maine Department of Health & Human Services are not responsible for the content or materials posted on these links.