Autism and eating problems
Maria Rastam and Elisabet Wentz from Sweden discussed the association of autism spectrum disorders and eating problems in childhood and adolescence and the overlap with anorexia and bulimia nervosa. Several recent reports point to the fact that autistic traits have an important impact on course and prognosis of anorexia nervosa.
View the abstracts and presentations by Maria Rastam and Elisabet Wentz.

 

Neurobiological findings
Johannes Hebebrand from Essen, Germany presented new neurobiological findings in eating disorders in ‘‘the post-GWAS era’’, such as changes in metabolic profiles during weight rehabilitation in anorexia nervosa. He also discussed the impact of DSM 5-criteria on eating disorders research.
View the abstract.

Treatment response
Dasha Nicholls from Great Ormond Street, London, reviewed what is known about treatment response in children and adolescents, with a focus on the early stages of presentation, and suggests factors to consider in developing a stepped care model for child and adolescent eating disorders.
View the abstract and presentation by Dasha Nicholls.

Inpatient and day patient treatment
Beate Herpertz-Dahlmann, from Aachen, Germany, presented the results of a large randomized multi-center controlled trial including 170 participants with first onset of anorexia nervosa to compare inpatient and day patient treatment. Day patient treatment was not inferior to inpatient treatment with respect to weight gain at the one year follow-up. Patients in the day patient arm tended to have better psychosocial outcomes All presenters will give insight in new developments to better understand eating disorder symptoms and their prognostic relevance as well as the importance of early intervention and treatment.
View the abstract and presentation, and read about the publication of this study in The Lancet.

Beate Herpertz-Dahlmann (1), Maria Rastam (2), Elisabet Wentz (3), Johannes Hebebrand (4), Dasha Nicholls (5): 
1. University of Aachen, Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Psychosomatics and Psychotherapy, Aachen, Germany.
2. Lund University, University of Gothenburg, Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Lund, Sweden.
3. University of Gothenburg, Gillberg Neuropsychiatry Centre, Gothenburg, Sweden. 
4. University of Duisberg-Essen, Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Psychosomatics and Psychotherapy, Essen, Germany.
5. Great Ormond Street Hospital, Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service, London, UK. 

Keywords: Eating Disorder, Diagnostics, Treatment, Neurobiology, Day Patient Treatment.