Characteristics of Compulsive Overeating

Is Obesity an Eating Disorder?

Many people think of eating disorders as only anorexia or bulimia. At Avalon Centers, we take a different viewpoint.

Avalon Centers has a long history of treating eating disorders in men and women. Further, Avalon Centers understands that unhealthy eating, disordered eating and emotional eating patterns can lead to dangerous outcomes. Avalon Centers is poised to evaluate all eating disordered behavior patterns and help individuals understand how to achieve a healthy lifestyle.

Let's examine the issue of obesity and being overweight…

Overweight and Obesity: Defining Overweight and Obesity

Overweight and obesity are often interchangeable terms for weight that is greater than what is healthy for a given height, age and gender. Obesity and being overweight identify ranges of weight that have been shown to increase the likelihood of certain diseases and other health problems.

The Adult Perspective

For adults, overweight and obesity ranges are determined by using weight and height to calculate a number called the "body mass index" (BMI). BMI is used because it correlates with their amount of body fat.

An adult who has a BMI between 25 and 29.9 is considered overweight. An adult who has a BMI of 30 or higher is considered obese. An example: Height Weight Range BMI Considered 5' 9" 124 lbs. or less Below 18.5 Underweight 125 - 168 lbs. 18.5 - 24.9 Healthy weight 169 - 202 lbs. 25.0 - 29.9 Overweight 203 lbs. or more 30 or higher Obese

It is important to remember that although BMI correlates with the amount of body fat, BMI does not directly measure body fat. As a result, some people, such as athletes, may have a BMI that identifies them as overweight even though they do not have excess body fat.

Other methods of estimating body fat and body fat distribution include measurements of skin fold thickness and waist circumference, calculation of waist-to-hip circumference ratios, and techniques such as ultrasound, computed tomography, and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI).

Children and Teens Perspective

For children and teens, BMI ranges above a normal weight have different labels (at risk of overweight and overweight). Additionally, BMI ranges for children and teens are defined so that they take into account normal differences in body fat between boys and girls and differences in body fat at various ages.

Assessing Health Risks Associated with Overweight and Obesity

BMI is just one indicator of potential health risks associated with being overweight or obese. For assessing someone's likelihood of developing overweight- or obesity-related diseases, the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute guidelines recommend looking at two other predictors:

• The individual's waist circumference (because abdominal fat is a predictor of risk for obesity-related diseases).
  
• Other risk factors the individual has for diseases and conditions associated with obesity (for example, high blood pressure or physical inactivity).

What Does Avalon Centers Do For Patients With Overweight or Obesity Concerns?

Avalon Centers offer comprehensive assessment and evaluation tools to determine the medical and emotional needs of each patient. Through telephone and face-to-face interviews, Avalon's clinical team formulates a treatment plan best suited for the patient's needs. For some, outpatient nutritional counseling with supportive therapies might be very effective. Other patients may require a most intensive level of treatment to address physical and emotional health risk concerns.

Avalon's clinical staff fully understands that every patient presents unique needs and concerns. With that in mind, our therapists craft a highly individualized treatment plan, with patient input, designed to achieve the intended outcome.

We encourage any individual concerned about a pattern of eating behaviors that may be causing lifestyle, medical or emotional problems to call for a comprehensive evaluation. Avalon's team includes nutritionists, psychiatrists, nurses, clinical social workers, support therapists and more.

We hope you find the courage today to make a life-saving call.

Avalon Eating Disorders is a New York inpatient and outpatient clinic for the treatment of Anorexia, Bulimia, Obesity, and Compulsive Overeating.