Psychological characteristics of mothers of patients with anorexia nervosa: implications for treatment and prognosis.

Introduction: The complexity of factors involved in anorexia nervosa (AN) and the recommendations of prominent health organizations underscore the importance of reflecting on therapeutic interventions aimed at patients' family members.

Objective: To expand knowledge about the mother-daughter relationship in AN, with a focus on developing a conceptual framework that is able to improve the treatment of the disorder, reduce factors that perpetuate it and improve prognosis.

Method: A clinical method, anchored by psychodynamic references, was employed in a group of family members of patients with eating disorders.

[The significance of dietary and behavioral changes in patients with chronic metabolic disorders: a review].

Eating behavior and the psycho-cultural significance of food for patients with chronic metabolic disorders have been a focus of interest due to the difficulty in ensuring the compliance of these patients in terms of changing their habits and in fostering self-care. A review of the literature was condusted using the LILACS and MEDLINE databases and the PUBMED search engine to identify qualitative studies in which the opinion of patients with respect to diet and lifestyle was analyzed. Key words used were: metabolic syndrome; eating behavior; diet; obesity; psychological factors; qualitative study; and dietary habits.