Through grant money it would also train education professionals in evidence-based education programs about eating disorders.  Importantly, the federally funded campaigns to fight obesity would also address eating disorders.  The Act has had bipartisan support in the House and has been introduced in the Senate by Senators Tom Harkin (D-IA), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) and Al Franken (D-MN).  It is the first comprehensive legislation to be introduced in the Senate that confronts the seriousness of eating disorders.NEDA had established the STAR Program to work towards “awareness, education, early intervention and prevention programs, funding for research and improved access to treatment of eating disorders by speaking with legislators, mobilizing members and forging alliances with other groups that share our vision.”  The STAR coordinators work on state legislation.  For example, in New York NEDA along with Assemblyman Peter Rivera and Senator Shirley Huntley are introducing a bill (A4413/S3142) to educate physicians and physician assistants about the signs and symptoms of eating disorders for early intervention and to make the appropriate referral. Similar bills are being introduced in many other states. 

With many of the legislative and grassroots initiatives, the hope is to dispel the myths about eating disorders which have served as an obstacle to meaningful strides in prevention, education and treatment.  Those myths such as, “eating disorders are diets gone wrong”, “only teenage girls are affected by eating disorders”, “eating disorders are not really life threatening”, “binge eaters have no self control and are lazy”, “those with eating disorders are vain” have prevented the general public from truly understanding eating disorders as serious illnesses.  It is only when eating disorders are viewed as pervasive and life threatening illnesses that we can truly combat them.  With public awareness, education to the general public and access to proper treatment we can address this issue as a public health issue.

In regard to treatment, there are evidence-based therapies that have proved effective in treating eating disorders.  Evidence-based treatment refers to therapies that have been empirically studied for their effectiveness.  These types of therapies have been used on their own in treatment but can also be used to augment the psychodynamic therapy that many clinicians use as the backbone of eating disorder treatment. 

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) has been shown effective in treating bulimia and binge eating disorder.  While CBT does not address the underlying causes of an eating disorder or the internal conflict with which one struggles, it does confront the cognitive distortions that accompany an eating disorder.  In addition, CBT works on changing thought patterns from ones that support the eating disorder to patterns that are healthy. 

Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT) incorporates many of the principles of CBT but combines it with Eastern philosophical practices that have been effective in reducing self-destructive behavior and eating disorder behaviors.  Learning the DBT skills in the areas of mindfulness, distress tolerance, emotion regulation and interpersonal effectiveness can help an individual with impulsive behaviors and provide means to tolerate emotion without self-defeating or self-destructive behaviors.  Both CBT and DBT can be helpful in decreasing the symptoms of an eating disorder and “grounding” an individual to work on the underlying emotional conflicts.

Experiential therapies such as art therapy, movement therapy, psychodrama, yoga and journaling have co-existed for many years with psychodynamic treatment but continue to gain importance as alternate methods of expressing emotions, feelings and thoughts.  They are particularly helpful for those who have difficulty verbally processing strong emotion.  Adolescents and trauma survivors are examples of populations that have such difficulty. 

In conclusion, there is reason at this moment in time to feel excited about where we are in the eating disorder community regarding prevention, education and treatment.  It is prudent to continue using methods we have found effective in treatment to provide individuals with a full recovery as we continue to explore additional methods that contribute to that process.  Raising awareness in the general public to view eating disorders as a serious illness that affects millions is crucial for continued funding for research, treatment, education and prevention.