Among the actions carried out by the Ministry of Public Health, in charge of Luis Medina Ruiztalks and training activities will be held throughout the month of June in the different effectors of the Provincial Health System.
In this regard, the representative of the Provincial Program for the Prevention and Addressing of Eating Disorders, which depends on the Department of Prevention and Promotion of the General Directorate of Mental Health and a member of the clinical area at CEPTA, Provincial Center for Eating Disorders, Ms. Mabel Alonso indicated: “June 2 marks the World Day to Fight Eating Disorders, which is a day of awareness, where all the teams that work on the subject carry out activities, generally during the week or month, that have to do with treatments, patient recovery and interdisciplinary support.”
Meanwhile, he explained: “These problems of anorexia and bulimia have a dramatic background for the patients in addition to great suffering for their families and those they accompany. This year’s theme is Hope, Recovery and Science. Hope, because awareness-raising actions are always carried out where teams work with family members and other professionals, to be able to accompany and motivate patients, consult on basic symptoms and warning signs, to carry out early detection. Recovery, because with a diagnosis and adequate treatment, this phase becomes easier, more real, more possible. And Science, because treatments that have scientific evidence should be used to address these disorders.”
In this scheme, the professional commented: “Argentina is the second country with the highest percentage of eating disorders in the world. If we talk about a specific population, generally, it occurs in pre-adolescents-adolescents, from 9, 10, 11 years old. Anorexia, with a higher percentage, occurs in early childhood and adolescence. Bulimia, in slightly older ages, between 15 and 18 years of age and older, mainly in female patients.”
When asked about the warning signs, the lawyer Mabel Alonso reported: “In principle, in order to make early detection, difficult or strange behaviors in relation to food, dieting behaviors with a sudden weight loss or accompanied by some symptomatology or some trait that has to do with psychological, sadness, isolation, very obsessive behaviors in relation to food. “That is transcendental to take into account, especially when one observes young people, pre-adolescents, for example.”
“The first thing you need to know is that eating disorders are treated with an interdisciplinary team. These are not consultations to be made only to the pediatrician or nutritionist and we know that they often generate a bit of resistance. So, patients usually take a tour of other offices before arriving at the psychology office. The diagnosis of eating disorders is always made by mental health, so it is essential to consult with psychology or psychiatry in case one detects any characteristic feature,” he said.
Statistics show, he added, that “the patient with eating disorders, who comes to the psychology consultation, has gone through between two to five years of undergoing treatments with other specialists, without achieving the right one. It is of great relevance then, above all, when one observes the first signs, to make the corresponding consultation with the professional to design a treatment.”
Finally, he highlighted, activities will be carried out in all SIPROSA health centers and those that are working with eating disorders will be community-based. At CEPTA we will hold a day of reflection and internal training on Wednesday. On Tuesday, a talk is held with relatives and those accompanying them in relation to this year’s world motto. Next week, there will be training with agents of the Health System, with qualified people on the subject, well recognized at the provincial level. They are going to work on nutritional recovery and on approaches and treatments in relation to eating disorders.
