Melissa Hart

• University of Newcastle Australia

Objective Eating disorders are complex illnesses with high morbidity and mortality. Yet, there is promising evidence to support the effects of nutrition on the brain and behaviour. One proposed example is the use of tyrosine as an adjunct treatment in anorexia nervosa (AN). However, recruitment and retention in eating disorder clinical trials has p...

Objective Brief and accessible therapies for people with an eating disorder is an important health target. Ten‐session cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT‐T) is a brief treatment evaluated in people with a non‐underweight eating disorder. This study aimed to evaluate the feasibility and preliminary effectiveness of CBT‐T for young people in primary...

(1) Background: School professionals such as teachers and counsellors are uniquely positioned to facilitate discussion around disordered eating and body image; however, little is known about the needs of school professionals with respect to eating disorder prevention. This study aimed to explore the needs and perceptions of Australian school profes...

The education sector is recognised as an ideal platform to promote good nutrition and decision making around food and eating. Examining adolescents in this setting is important because of the unique features of adolescence compared to younger childhood. This systematic review and meta-analysis examine interventions in secondary schools that provide...

Objective Body image concerns and extreme weight control behaviors frequently develop in childhood indicating an important age group for the implementation of universal–selective prevention approaches. This systematic review aimed to evaluate the effect of universal–selective prevention interventions addressing disordered eating, body image concern...

Anorexia nervosa is a severe and complex illness associated with a lack of efficacious treatment. The effects of nutrition on the brain and behaviour is of particular interest, though an area of limited research. Tyrosine, a non-essential amino acid, is a precursor to the catecholamines dopamine, noradrenaline and adrenaline. Ongoing tyrosine admin...

Background: Anorexia nervosa is a severe and complex illness associated with a lack of efficacious treatment. Ongoing tyrosine administration has been proposed as a possible treatment through increasing blood tyrosine sufficiently to facilitate brain catecholamine synthesis. Saturation with the noradrenergic precursor tyrosine could alleviate norad...

Dietary intake requires attention in the treatment of both eating disorders and type 1 diabetes (T1D) to achieve optimal outcomes. Nutritional management of both conditions involves encouraging a wide variety of healthful foods in the context of usual cultural and family traditions. In recent times, low carbohydrate diets have seen a rise in popula...

People with Type 1 diabetes (T1D) have been shown to be an at-risk group for the development of disordered eating behaviours, however, the validity of tools used to assess disordered eating behaviours in T1D is unclear. This review aimed to identify tools used to screen or identify disordered eating behaviours and eating disorders in people with T1...

Nutrition plays a vital role in the treatment of eating disorders. Careful consideration of the risks involved and strategies to successfully facilitate nutritional change is required. The first two papers of this series cover the importance of healthy nutrition, effects of inadequate nutrition, assessment and concepts of refeeding and rehydration...

Nutritional restoration is a core treatment component in eating disorders. Early detection and treatment of nutritional compromise are crucial to reduce the physical and psychological complications associated with the illness. Although risks of refeeding exist and variations in refeeding practices occur, there is consensus regarding the need to pre...

Nutritional compromise and altered eating behaviour are key characteristics of eating disorders. Body image distortion, excessive fear of fatness, restricted dietary intake, binge eating or purging may occur. The physical and psychological features of eating disorders are profound and are associated with high morbidity and mortality. Starvation or...

A thesis submitted for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy (Community Medicine and Clinical Epidemiology), School of Medicine and Public Health, Faculty of Health, University of Newcastle, Callaghan, Australia

Anorexia nervosa (AN) is accompanied by an increased frequency of pre-morbid anxiety. Anxiety disorders are associated with increased brain activity of catecholamines, especially noradrenaline. It has been hypothesized that noradrenergic dysregulation may be a major factor in the causation of AN. In this article, we explore this hypothesis and how...