An Objective Diagnosis of Eating Disorders Stable Isotope Analysis of Hair

Authors

Brooke Allen, Brigham Young University
Beverly Roeder, Brigham Young University

Keywords

eating disorders, stable isotope, hair, mental illness

College

Life Sciences

Department

Biology

Abstract

Eating disorders (EDs) are a group of mental illnesses that afflict up to two percent of the population . The group of illnesses consists of anorexia, bulimia, and EDNOS (Eating Disorders Not Otherwise Specified). The diagnostic methods for eating disorders that are currently accepted by the American Psychiatric Association are problematic, because they rely mainly upon patient responses to self-report or physician-administered examinations. These assessments do not always return accurate diagnoses, because they are primarily subjective in nature . Thus, a more objective method for diagnosis, one which is more focused on physiological measures than on subjective questions, is needed for the successful diagnosis and treatment of eating disorders.

Recommended Citation

Allen, Brooke and Roeder, Beverly (2013) "An Objective Diagnosis of Eating Disorders Stable Isotope Analysis of Hair," Journal of Undergraduate Research: Vol. 2013: Iss. 1, Article 1091.
Available at: https://scholarsarchive.byu.edu/jur/vol2013/iss1/1091