Diagnosis and treatment of normal eating.

Abstract

The shift in societal preference toward a thin physique has led to an increasing prevalence of dieting such that "normal " eating for North American women is now characterized by dieting. In this article, we explore similarities between such normal dieters and individuals with an eating disorder and question whether a continuity exists between normal and abnormal eating behavior. The regulation of intake among normal dieter and patient populations is compared and is explained by the boundary model of consumption, which leads to the conclusion that in neither group is eating technically disordered, although it does depart from appropriate physiological norms. We conclude that many normal eaters (i.e., dieters or restrained eaters) display characteristics of eating-disorder pathologies and should be treated accordingly. Such treatment involves changing both the patient and the environment, especially societal attitudes toward body weight and shape. The current societal preference for a thin physique has spawned a corresponding societal preoccupation with dieting and weight loss. The extent of this preoccupation is such that it may now be accurate to regard dieting and its attendant diet mentality as normative, both descriptively and prescriptively.

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