PHILADELPHIA, July 7, 2004 (PRIMEZONE) -- A study which will be published in "Eating Disorders: The Journal of Treatment and Prevention," reveals that anorexic patients who participated in healthy exercise as part of treatment gained 40 percent more weight compared to those who did not exercise.
"This news may come as a shock to medical professionals who do not generally include exercise in the treatment for anorexia and bulimia," said Rachel Calogero, MA, Research Associate at The Renfrew Center Foundation and co-author of the paper. "The findings support the philosophy that the primary purpose of exercise should not be for weight loss. Rather, it should promote positive attitudes about the body through establishing a mind-body connection, and alleviating physical and mental stress."
The six-month study, led by The Renfrew Center Foundation, the nonprofit arm of The Renfrew Center -- country's first freestanding facility dedicated to treating eating disorders and related women's mental health issues -- was conducted from August 2002 through March 2003. 254 adult and adolescent patients admitted into residential treatment at The Renfrew Center of Philadelphia were monitored to investigate the effectiveness of an exercise program which was initially designed to target exercise abuse.
"In response to the need to treat exercise abuse, Renfrew developed and implemented this unique and innovative exercise program at the Philadelphia site," said Sam Menaged, Renfrew President and CEO. "Because of widespread misconceptions about exercise for patients, treatment facilities don't typically offer special programming. The discovery that healthy exercise contributes to recovery opens a whole new understanding of the way Renfrew treats eating disorders."
The exercise program, which is in its second year in Philadelphia and is currently being implemented at the Coconut Creek, FL site, is led by exercise coordinators 4-5 times per week and includes three levels of exercise that build on each other: Sensing the self, Supporting the self, and Strengthening the self. The exercises are drawn mainly from yoga, Pilates, resistance training and sports conditioning, and even include partner work. Once admitted by the Renfrew staff, the patients advance through the program based on their progress in treatment.
Kelly Pedrotty, MA, Exercise Coordinator at The Renfrew Center and co-author of the paper adds, "The idea behind the program is to change the patient's attitudes about exercise. Throughout the program, women are encouraged to do something different with their exercise. For example, if a woman struggles with comparing herself to others during exercise, she is urged to focus on her breathing, pay attention to how her body feels, close her eyes, and experience the exercise for herself."
Exercise abuse is a typical symptom of eating disorders affecting anywhere from 33 to 100 percent of eating disorder patients, and one of the last symptoms to subside after treatment. The use of exercise aids in the treatment for exercise abuse, in which sufferers engage in chaotic patterns of exercise driven by self punishment or a need to acquire the permission to eat.
The Renfrew Center, which has treated over 35,000 women since opening its doors in 1985, has residential and outpatient facilities in Philadelphia, PA and Greater Ft. Lauderdale, FL, as well as outpatient sites in Bryn Mawr, PA; Northern New Jersey; New York City; Southern Connecticut and Miami, FL. The Renfrew Center specializes in the treatment of eating disorders, including anorexia, bulimia, binge eating disorder and related mental health issues.
To learn more about eating disorders or to find out additional information about The Renfrew Center or any of its programs, call 1-800-RENFREW or visit www.renfrewcenter.com.
Note to media: Representatives from Renfrew are available for interviews