Background
Eating disorders are prevalent in the adolescent and young adult
population, with 2.7% of adolescents effected. The American Academy of
Pediatrics recommends yearly screening for eating disorders in
adolescents. Even with this recommendation, eating disorders often go
underdiagnosed. AYAs with cancer possess several risk factors for eating
disorders that may place them at an even higher risk, including
receiving weight-altering therapies and having their weight/nutrition
emphasized. Since these patients see their oncology team frequently,
oncology clinics are opportune settings for eating disorder screening.
This describes a single-institution study to implement screening for
eating disorders in AYA patients in an oncology clinic.