Guidelines for treatment of anorexia nervosa

The building of an alliance with patient and family is the first step in care of patient with ED. The nutritional rehabilitation is essential and a prerequisite. Malnutrition is a major factor of self-maintenance of the disease, at multiple levels, including neurobiological and hormonal ones. Full-time hospitalization is only one of the available modality of care, and is only one option of the treatments that can often, as a whole, last over several years. Family therapy is a proved and effective treatment of anorexia, in particular in children and adolescents. A multidisciplinary and extended approach is the best guarantee of a favorable outcome.