Centre for Eating Behaviour and Metabolism Disorders

The over-abundance of food, the widely varied messages as to how we “must” eat, and the strong socio-cultural emphasis on the aesthetic ideal of thinness, have ended up changing our favourable relationship with food, which is a key factor in the well-being of every individual.

What is our centre working on?

Eating Disorders

• Anorexia nervosa
• Bulimia nervosa
• Uncontrolled Eating Disorder (Binge-Eating Disorder, BED)
• Other specified nutritional or eating disorders (eg Sub-threshold forms of Anorexia and bulimia, Night Eating Syndrome ..)
• Eating disorders not otherwise specified
• Orthorexia, Reverse anorexia or Vigorexia

Clinical Nutrition and Metabolic Disorders:

• Overweight and Obesity
• Metabolism-related diseases, Diabetes, Dyslipidemia, Hypercholesterolemia and Hypertriglyceridemia, Hyperuricaemia, Coeliac Disease and Malabsorption, Hypertension, Renal Failure
• Clinical nutrition under special conditions (pregnancy, breast-feeding, menopause, PCOS …)
• Nutrition and sport

DIAGNOSTIC/ASSESSMENT PATHWAY:

In addition to routine instrumental and laboratory tests, the pathway includes specific investigations aimed at diagnostic and clinical classification.

• Medical-endocrinological consultation
• 1 dietetic assessment appointment (eg anthropometric, feeding patterns and energy balance assessments
• 1 appointment for instrumental assessment of nutritional status (calorimetry, BIA, metabolic holter)
• Blood chemistry and/or instrumental tests (eg CBM, ABDOMINAL ECHO ..), hormonal dosages, etc.

TREATMENT PATHWAY:

The objective is to provide an effective, personalised response, offering nutritional advice for diseases (obesity, diabetes, renal failure, malabsorption, hypercholesterolemia, etc.) and particular physiological conditions (such as pregnancy, sport and physical activity), using specific techniques and tools such as:

• Diet therapy
• Management of metabolic disorders
• Nutritional rehabilitation
• Food psycho-education
• Nutritional counselling
• Bariatric surgery
• Endocrinological medical monitoring
• Instrumental monitoring of nutritional status
• Psychological counselling

Instruments supplied to our Centre

METABOLIC HOLTER

ARMBAND SENSEWARE provides a continuous record of daily energy expenditure both during rest (Basal Metabolism) and during physical activity. Through a series of skin sensors, it also makes it possible to measure the intensity of physical effort and the quality of sleep. A band worn for extended periods on the triceps of one arm enables measurements to be carried out for up to two weeks.

INDIRECT CALORIMETRY

A non-invasive examination carried out using the FITMATE COSMED instrument, which determines the effective/current resting energy expenditure by measuring oxygen consumption. This type of examination provides an estimate of basal metabolism with greater accuracy than the theoretical formulas. This is the energy necessary for vital functions at rest (approximately 60-70% of the total daily energy expenditure); by correctly evaluating this variable we can therefore finalise a personalised, targeted plan for weight management and other nutritional objectives.

BIOIMPEDENTIOMETRY

Non-invasive examination for the determination of composition (hydro-electrolytic and nutritional profile), which is carried out using the BIA AKERN 101 instrument. It enables us to evaluate specific indices (eg lean mass, fat mass, active cell mass and water compartments), and is useful in various physiological and pathological conditions such as malnutrition, weight loss, pregnancy and elderly care. It is a gold standard examination in nutrition, the sports sector, rehabilitation, and sports medicine. A BIA analysis also enables long-term monitoring of the trend in the therapeutic pathway and/or physical/sport training.

Our Specialists