The dietitian's role in the treatment of eating disorders

Eating disorders have both psychological and physiological elements and so require treatment that combines expertise in both. Professionals who treat patients with an eating disorder need to have knowledge of the nutritional effects and physiological consequences of the illness. This is rare within a predominantly mental health setting. The extreme dieting behaviour in anorexia nervosa leading to the severe weight loss and symptoms of semi‐starvation; binge‐eating behaviour, seen in cases in bulimia nervosa and binge eating disorder; and the patient’s distorted beliefs about nutrition and dietary requirements all underpin the need for the expertise provided by dietitians. They now have an essential role within the multi‐disciplinary assessment and treatment programmes for all three major eating disorders.