Bulimia nervosa in adolescents: prevalence and treatment challenges

Lisa Hail, Daniel Le Grange Department of Psychiatry, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA Abstract: Bulimia nervosa (BN) is a serious psychiatric illness that typically develops during adolescence or young adulthood, rendering adolescents a target for early intervention. Despite the increasing research devoted to the treatment of youth with anorexia nervosa (AN) and adults with BN, there remains a dearth of evidence for treating younger individuals with BN. To date, there have been four published randomized controlled trials comparing psychosocial treatments, leaving significant room to improve treatment outcomes. Family-based treatment is the leading treatment for youth with AN, while cognitive-behavioral therapy is the leading intervention for adults with BN. Involving caregivers in treatment shows promising results, however, additional research is needed to investigate ways in which this treatment can be adapted further to achieve higher rates of recovery. Keywords: eating disorders, youth, family-based treatment, cognitive behavioral therapy, psychodynamic therapy, psychopharmacological treatment, evidence based treatmen