Background: Exercise remains a complicated and controversial aspect of eating disorders treatment. In this presentation, we will review the history of attempts to manage exercise in eating disorders. We will also review the holes in research and clinical approaches that may be limiting our understanding of exercise in eating disorders. Finally, we will conclude by offering hope by reviewing an evidenced based movement and exercise treatment program. This presentation will include a brief review of evidence-based protocols and data supporting the use of these protocols.
Objectives:
- Discuss the misconceptions around exercise and eating disorders from the past
- Differentiate movement and exercise patterns as either an eating disorder symptom or a therapeutic benefit
- List two ways to change the functional relationship of exercise from compulsive, driven and/or obligatory to a therapeutic mind/body connection
- History of Exercise in Eating Disorders (ED) Treatment
- Exercise is a well-established effective intervention for many psychological and physical health issues
- It has been overlooked as a potential adjunct to ED treatment.
- A possibility as to why therapeutic exercise has been overlooked in ED treatment may be the potential for unsupervised, compensatory exercise performed during times of severe nutritional deficiency to exacerbate ED pathology.
- This overly cautious view is not supported by the emerging literature on the therapeutic potential of exercise in ED treatment
- Consequences of excluding exercise from ED treatment include:
- Further alienating individuals with ED from taking control of their own recovery.
- Ignoring initial clinical successes in managing excessive exercise in ED.
- Accordingly, we will review the history of attempts to manage excessive exercise and use exercise therapeutically in ED treatment.
- It has been overlooked as a potential adjunct to ED treatment.
- Holes in Clinical and Research Efforts to Manage Exercise in ED
- Existing reasons that may explain the lack of focus on how to manage exercise in ED will be explored.
- Major holes in both clinical and research attempts to using exercise therapeutically will be discussed.
- Specifically, various terms are often incorrectly used interchangeably
- Consequently, this inaccuracy has guided clinical and research discussions about patterns of body movements in ED.
- Definitional clarity is important because recent improvements in assessment of body movements have elucidated possible methods for the management and therapeutic use of exercise in ED treatment.
- Specifically, various terms are often incorrectly used interchangeably
- Hope for the Future of Managing Exercise and Using Exercise Therapeutically in ED Treatment
- Recent advancements in assessments have resulted in encouraging clinical and research efforts.
- A review of recent data from an evidence-based program for the therapeutic use of exercise in ED treatment provides hope in the restorative and healing power of movement for clinicians and individuals with ED alike.
- This program is based on evidence-based protocols which provide a framework for how to change the functional relationship of exercise from compensatory to therapeutic.
- Exercise is a well-established effective intervention for many psychological and physical health issues
Dr Cook developed an original line of research examining the etiological role, management, and therapeutic potential of exercise in eating disorders. His education at the Universities of Rhode Island and Florida and a NIMH post-doctoral fellowship at the Neuropsychiatric Research Institute in Fargo, ND allowed him to train under experts in the eating disorder field. This has resulted in presenting research at international conferences (e.g., Eating Disorders Research Society, the Academy for Eating Disorders), chairing conference paper sessions, publications in leading journals (e.g., International Journal of Eating Disorders) and book chapters, and a keynote address at the IAEPD 2017 Symposium.
