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Even as we greet 2022 with enthusiastic optimism, the shadows of 2021 continue to loom large. EDs and COVID have their own schedule, one that does not consider hour, day or year. Among the articles in this issue, you will find reports on social media and EDs, new information about EDs among military veterans, and a review of a revised standard textbook for parents and friends of ED patients.
The rise of social media over the past decade has only increased negative exposure and body dissatisfaction among teens and young adults. A general lack of data about the use of social media and development of risky eating behaviors led psychiatrist Barbara Jiotsa and colleagues to investigate the effects of social comparison and internalization of ideals from social media. The rise of social media over the past decade has only increased negative exposure and body dissatisfaction among teens and young adults.
Atypical AN (AAN) is “new” as of publication of the DSM-5. Another new trend is identification of EDs among military veterans. A recent study of more than 1000 veterans showed AAN to be a very common problem among men and women veterans. The prevalence of AAN remains a bit unclear, but some samples have shown it to be among the most common EDs.
Finally, as noted in this issue’s Book Review, the 4th revised edition of Surviving an Eating Disorder: Strategies for Family and Friends offers advice, hope, and helpful methods for coping effectively with a loved one’s eating disorder. As reviewer Kamila Cass PhD, CEDS-S notes, the 4th edition has a welcome emphasis on diversity and inclusion; diversity in sexuality, gender, and body size are also well represented in the latest edition.
– MKS