Guidelines and position statements related to eating disorders

The following list describes clinical practice guidelines and position statements published by clinical professional organizations and/or government agencies involved in treating eating disorders in the United States and other countries. Some of these documents were published more than five years ago. Ideally, guidelines and position statements should be reviewed and updated by the issuing organization at least every five years.

American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP). Initial Evaluation, Diagnosis, and Treatment of Anorexia Nervosa and Bulimia Nervosa, Jan 2015. In additional to providing guidance for family physicians on evaluating and treating these eating disorders, AAFP issued a companion piece for patients, Information from Your Family Doctor. Eating Disorders: What You Should Know.

Academy of Eating Disorders (AED), General Guidelines for Research-Practice Integration in the Field of Eating Disorders, 2014. The AED Research-Practice Committee created this guideline “to advance research and practice partnership in the field of eating disorders.” Accompanying the general guidelines is the AED Action Plan, which outlines a strategic plan for research-practice integration within AED. The guidelines are also published in French, Spanish, German, and Italian.

American Psychiatric Association (APA). Practice Guideline for the Treatment of Patients With Eating Disorders, 2006 (third edition); updated in 2012. This 128-page clinical practice guideline was developed by an APA steering committee on guideline development, including clinical experts in eating disorders. A 34-page summary version is available. The main change in the 2012 update pertained to pharmacologic therapy. The most significant change to this guideline is the retraction of the 2006 recommendation of sibutramine (Meridia, Abbott Laboratories) for treating binge eating disorder. In 2010, FDA withdrew its approval of sibutramine due to clinical trial findings suggesting the drug increased the risk for heart attack and stroke. As a result, the drug’s manufacturer, Abbott Laboratories, removed the medication from the U.S. market, and the drug is no longer recommended in the guidelines.

Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists. Clinical Practice Guidelines for the Treatment of Eating Disorders.

U.K. National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE). Eating Disorders: Recognition and Treatment, 2017. This clinical guidance is also accompanied by information for patients and families, Eating Disorders: The Care You Should Expect.

Catalan Agency for Health Technology Assessment and Research (Barcelona). Clinical Practice Guideline for Eating Disorders, 2009 (Update in progress). This guideline was produced in Spain by a working group on eating disorders in collaboration with several other Spanish government agencies.