Hospitalizations for Eating Disorders on the Rise

Now why could this be?

"The number of eating disorder-related hospital stays jumped 18% in the new century, with the increase largely driven by "unspecified" diagnoses, researchers found.

Admissions for an eating disorder rose from 23,807 cases in 1999-2000 to 28,155 cases in 2005-2006, William Encinosa, Ph.D., of the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, and colleagues reported in a statistical brief...

Dr. Encinosa said when patients attempt to diet by starving themselves and then fail, they could be hospitalized after going on an eating binge."

And who recommends starvation dieting?

The experts. (see here, here, here, here, here and here for a sampling)

And who makes money from the hospitalizations?

"Hospital stays for eating disorders are also becoming more costly, Dr. Encinosa said. Total costs jumped 61% over the study period," and "We don't really know why doctors were diagnosing it..."

Seems like guessing "hospitals and docs" would put you in the ballpark.

Income for the same folks who advocate starvation dieting.

Funny how that happens.