(Radio Iowa) – Eating disorders are among the most prevalent and dangerous mental health concerns for Iowa teenagers, and specialized treatment options in the state are limited. The University of Iowa’s Scanlan Center for School Mental Health is now offering treatment for eating disorders to Iowa students 12 and older, as well as for parents and school staff. The center’s Taylor Ford says an eating disorder is an unhealthy relationship with food that’s far beyond dieting — and it can be life-threatening.”Really severe eating disorders can be difficult to overcome,” Ford says, “but I think the key point is that recovery from any type of eating disorder is absolutely possible if you have the right support and treatment.” Treatment could involve several experts, including a therapist, a psychiatrist, a physician, and a dietician, while the process may take six months or several years.

Ford, the center’s assistant director of clinical services and crisis response, says there’s a misconception that eating disorders primarily impact girls and young women. “Eating disorders can affect anyone from any background,” Ford says. “We see individuals that are struggling with eating disorders across all genders, ages, races, and body sizes.” About nine-percent of all Americans will have an eating disorder at some point in their lives, she says, which is about 291-thousand Iowans, though large numbers go undiagnosed. While many people have heard of anorexia and bulimia, Ford says binge eating disorder is actually the most common form. Early identification and intervention are key to saving lives and improving outcomes, and she says there may be warning signs.

“Sometimes you’ll see extreme rigidity around eating and food, an obsession with exercise and then distress if not able to exercise, increased anxiety around mealtimes,” Ford says. “Sometimes individuals who are struggling will avoid social events that involve food or just kind of socially isolate in general, and then it’s pretty common to see shifts in moods.” The U-I’s Scanlan Center also provides statewide mental health services for K-12 students.