Box 11 Exercise in eating disorder treatment

Exercise can be an effective intervention for many psychological health issues [e.g., depression; see 233], however, has often been overlooked as a potential adjunct intervention to eating disorder treatment. A systematic review by Cook et al. [228] outlined 11 core themes describing techniques that have been successful in using exercise as an adjunct in eating disorder treatment. These themes are: “employ a team of relevant experts; monitor medical status; screen for exercise related psychopathology; create a written contract of how therapeutic exercise will be used; include a psych-educational component; focus on positive reinforcement; create a graded exercise program; begin with mild intensity exercise; tailor the mode of exercise to the needs of the individual; include a nutritional component; and debrief after exercise sessions” [228; p.1408]