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Two Minnesota senators are on a mission to pass an Act that aims to divert more research funds into diagnosing eating disorders like anorexia and bulimia.
The piece of legislation, called the Freed Act, was recently introduced by Senator Amy Klobuchar and Senator Tom Harkin in collaboration with Senator Al Franken. The aim of the Act is to direct funds to helping medical personnel diagnose eating disorders in more stringent ways and improve public information on this subject.
Anorexia and bulimia are eating disorders that cause nutritional deficiencies, especially causing protein shortage in the body. Treatment often revolves around a healthy and balanced meal plan which may include protein supplements such as Profect that aid the body in building up protein reserves. Patients also typically need emotional counseling for the underlying factors causing the eating disorder.
Amy Klobuchar said she got involved with the project after learning about how Kitty Weston's daughter, Anna, died of anorexia 10 years ago – she could have been saved perhaps if she'd received an early diagnosis and proper treatment.
Franken wrote that "we don’t know nearly enough about diagnosing, treating and preventing these diseases", therefore it becomes crucial to direct funds toward more critical research to help medical professionals identify eating disorders.
According to a health survey conducted at the University of Michigan in 2007, more than 5% students reported as suffering from an eating disorder. NIH funding for eating disorders is only about $1.20 per person, compared with $159 for a disease like schizophrenia, even though the latter has a lower incidence rate. This was stated by Jillian Croll who is the Director Education for the Emily Program – a firm offering eating disorder treatments.
Part of the bill is also involved with educating healthcare professionals in schools and offices about how they can correctly identify, treat and prevent eating disorders. Physicians, who are on the front lines of dealing with this disease often receive little to no training about eating disorders in medical school, and this bill hopes to change that and bring the issue in line with obesity and other health and fitness challenges.
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