Background: Is veganism a form of disordered eating, a reflection of orthorexia, or an eating choice that can be sustained without disordered eating behaviors? If it is a form of disordered eating, do we treat these clients? Are we enabling an eating disorder if we don’t? Can an eating disorder client fully weight restore on a vegan diet? If so, at what level of care? Whether veganism exists alongside a client’s eating disorder, or is part of the disordered eating for another, how do we walk this path with our clients effectively and ethically toward full recovery?
Objectives:
- Following this presentation, participants will be able to explain the difference between a vegan eating plan, a vegetarian meal plan and an omnivore (non-vegetarian) eating plan
- Following this presentation, participants will be able to identify the essential nutrients that a vegan eating plan does or does not provide.
- Following this presentation, participants will be able to explain why a vegan meal plan can or cannot nutritionally restore an eating disorder client.
This presentation will do a deep dive into veganism, with a particular focus on the following areas;
1. Is veganism a form of disordered eating, a reflection of orthorexia or, is it an eating choice that can be sustained without disordered eating behaviors?
2. If it is a form of disordered eating, do we treat these clients? Are we enabling an eating disorder if we don’t?
3. Can an eating disorder client fully weight restore on a vegan diet? Further, does a vegan diet provide all of the essential nutrition needed for not just weight, but also brain restoration. If so, at what level of care?
4. Whether veganism exists alongside a client’s eating disorder, or is part of the disordered eating for another, how do we walk this path with our clients effectively and ethically toward full recovery?
Our goal is to provide a thought provoking look at veganism, to debunk myths, and to provide the clinician with the tools to better assess the true role veganism plays in a client's life.
Is veganism a form of disordered eating, a reflection of orthorexia, or an eating choice that can be sustained without disordered eating behaviors? If it is a form of disordered eating, do we treat these clients? Are we enabling an eating disorder if we don’t? Can an eating disorder client fully weight restore on a vegan diet? If so, at what level of care? Whether veganism exists alongside a client’s eating disorder, or is part of the disordered eating for another, how do we walk this path with our clients effectively and ethically toward full recovery?
These questions will be part of the key elements we will look at in this presentation. Whereby we will be taking a fresh look at our ethical responsibilities, the importance of improving the rate of clients entering and staying in treatment, and asking whether or not we should embrace a harm reduction model, as the substance use industry has started to do, rather than requiring a level of compliance, that leads to clients rejecting treatment. After all, if a client never makes it in to treatment, we lose the opportunity to help not just partially, but entirely.
Melainie Rogers MS, RD is the founder and executive director of BALANCE eating disorder treatment center™ in New York City. Professional memberships include co-founder and Past President of the IAEDP NYC Chapter (2010-2012); IAEDP; NEDA; BEDA; ADN; IFEED; Board Member, Center for the Study of Anorexia and Bulimia, New York City (CSAB). Board Member BEDA (2017-2018). Adjunct Professor at New York University. Melainie’s specialties include eating disorders with a particular interest in BED. Media appearances include The Today Show, Donny Deutsch and MSNBC. Melainie was responsible for the recent #WakeUpWeightWatchers social media campaign against offering free diet services to teen
As a registered dietitian, Tammy has specialized in eating disorders for 27 of her 32 years of practice. The first RD to become iaedp-certified in 1993, Tammy served as Director of Certification from 2013-2017. Tammy developed outpatient nutrition services for Alabama and Florida hospital systems, while maintaining a private practice in EDs for most of her career. She received the 2016 Excellence in Practice in Eating Disorders award from Behavioral Health Nutrition of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. Tammy joined Castlewood Treatment Centers as National Coordinator for Nutrition Education in 2015, educating professionals and supporting clients in their recovery.
