Nutrition and Self-acceptance Noted as Key Factors in Eating Disorders Treatment

Rogers’ lead dietitian, Kari Johnson, RD, CD, recently attended the annual forum hosted by the Eating Disorders Coalition of Tennessee (EDCT). “One of the key messages was that you have to learn how to accept yourself the way you are in your body,” she said. “They also addressed how important nutrition is to recovery. In fact, nutrition is the first thing that has to be replenished.” The media was also discussed in depth: “The influence media has on our nation’s young people is great, and that can be a problem because most of what we see is airbrushed. Not just the models and actors, but the food in commercials as well. It creates false expectations, giving kids an ideal they can never achieve.”
The EDCT’s 9th Annual Forum (“The Perfect Storm: Body, Brain and Cultural Influences on Eating Disorders”) offered industry professionals the opportunity for continuing education. Formed in 1999 as a task force of health professionals, EDCT educates people in Tennessee about the impact of eating disorders on the lives of individuals and their families. As a nationally respected leader in the treatment of eating disorders, Rogers Memorial Hospital exhibited information on the variety of eating disorder treatment programs offered for children, adolescents and adults.