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USPSTF 2022: Insufficient evidence for or against screening for eating disorders in adolescents and adults (I statement)
Clinical Question
Should primary care clinicians screen for eating disorders in adolescents and adults, 10 years or older, who have no signs or symptoms of an eating disorder?
Bottom line
In this first-time review, the USPSTF concludes that the current evidence is insufficient to assess the balance of benefits and harms of screening for eating disorders in adolescents and adults, age 10 years or older, who have no signs or symptoms of an eating disorder (I statement). 2c
Reference
Study design: Practice guideline
Funding: Government
Setting: Population-based
Synopsis
In this first-time review, the US Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) found adequate evidence that available screening tests were modestly accurate in identifying individuals at risk of eating disorders. However, they found no studies that directly evaluated the benefits and harms of screening. Certain treatments, both pharmacologic and nonpharmacologic, are effective for treating specific eating disorders, but no treatment trials enrolled screen-detected populations. Pharmacotherapies are associated with potential harms. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends screening for eating disorders by monitoring height and weight longitudinally and looking for physical signs of disordered eating. Similarly, the Academy of Eating Disorders recommends monitoring high-risk individuals for the development of eating disorders.
Reviewer
David C. Slawson, MD
Professor and Vice Chair of Family Medicine for Education and Scholarship
Atrium Health
Professor of Family Medicine, UNC Chapel Hill
Charlotte, NC
Comments
Test
test
Comment.
You are putting too much on the shoulders on Primary Care/Family physicians. Could educators/public health help? I suggest longitudinally monitoring height/weight of school age children and feeding the data to a data bank which can easily compute and detect problems.
Screening for eating disorders not cvontributory
Though the patients treated for eating disorders might not have been picked up in a screening campaign,there are ample chances for children with eating disorders not coming up or brought to the phycisians.
Several times eating disorders are not recognised unless the parents and the schools are sensitive and appraised of the same. It's unwise to wait for the symptoms of eating disorders to manifest. And so, the screenings and counseling for such conditions are most required ,more so with the present day advertising strategies of marketers and cattering industry. Worse are the risk factors in the society are door delivery systems and social media based experimental recipes . Screening is very important
screening for eating disorders
The prevalence of eating disorders has spiked across Canada during the pandemic, and current estimates are that 7.8% of the population may be suffering from one of these life-threatening disorders. Early detection is essential for recovery. I understand that the evidence for or against screening is insufficient for a recommendation - however, this highlights the appalling lack of research being done in this field. We need to advocate for funding for better studies, and more education about eating disorders for physicians.
Usefulness of screening for eating disorders
The fact that The patients who came for teatment were not picked up in screening does not mean screening is not required Waiting for symptoms to manifest is not welcome . Children with eating disorders may not be picked up by parents and schools unless they are appraised of the early symptoms of such disorders. The social media based new recipes,the widely prevalent door delivery services, aggressive marketing strategies of food makers and less stringent scrutiny of food industries are highly dangerous for the present young society. The impact these influencing factors will only be felt badly only in the next few decades when present kids will touch their thirties and forties
Low risk of second allergic reaction to SARS-CoV-2 vaccines
Agree with it, clinical judgement will work better.
screening for asyptomatic pts over 10 yrs for eating disorde
no indication