New UF chief of eating disorders to speak at free seminar
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MEDIA ADVISORY:
What: In the U.S., nearly 10 million women and one million men suffer from an eating disorder such as anorexia or bulimia. Millions more have a binge eating disorder. Kevin Wandler, M.D., the University of Florida College of Medicine department of psychiatry’s new chief of eating disorders programs and medical director of the Eating Disorders Recovery Center, will share information to uncover the mystery of eating disorders at a free Shands Women’s Advantage seminar for the public.
When: Thursday, Aug. 18
7 to 8:30 p.m.
Where: Shands Cancer Hospital at UF
1515 S.W. Archer Road, Gainesville
RSVP: News media: Please RSVP by 3 p.m. Aug. 18 to robelt@shands.ufl.edu or 352-265-0373 and we will arrange parking and media escort to the event location.
Public: Please register by calling 352-265-0943. Free valet parking for the seminar is available at the front entrance.
Background:
Anorexia, bulimia and binge eating are eating disorders that are dangerous but treatable. Forty percent of newly identified cases of anorexia are in girls 15 to 19 years old. Puberty and late teen to early adult years are the peak onset of eating disorders, but symptoms can occur as young as kindergarten. Eating disorders do not only affect females. There are not many solid statistics available on the prevalence of eating disorders in males, but it is believed to be more common than reflected in statistics due to under-diagnosis. It is estimated that one fourth of anorexia diagnoses in children are in males. (Statistics from the National Eating Disorders Association)
A recent study from the Archives of General Psychiatry revealed that eating disorders may be linked to elevated mortality rates, specifically from suicide among individuals with anorexia. Another study, from United Kingdom researchers, found that there are risks to a woman’s fertility that are associated with eating disorders.
Shands Women’s Advantage is a free program to help support women who want to have a healthy mind, body and spirit. Monthly seminars are for individuals of all ages and cover topics including heart disease, exercise, breast cancer, depression and weight loss.
For more information:
http://www.drkevinwandler.com/
http://psychiatry.ufl.edu/Patient-Care-Services/Eating-Disorders/index.shtml
http://shands.org/hospitals/vista/
http://www.nationaleatingdisorders.org/
http://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/publications/eating-disorders/complete-index.shtml
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