Treatment of Eating Disorders by Physical Activity and Nutrition Counseling

"Eating disorders" includes anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, binge eating and other specified feeding or eating disorder (OSFED). Common to all is the intensively occupation to control food intake, body image and body weight. Most people with this kind of disorder don't reach for professional help, or there may be more than 4 years before they do. Cognitive behavior therapy is the foremost method of treatment of eating disorders, but up to 30-50% of the patients don't respond to this. The investigators find it important to identify science based alternatives of therapy, as this may reduce the health concern, and broaden the choice of therapy methods. A former study by Sundgot-Borgen et al in 2002, found guided physical activity to reduce symptoms of bulimia nervosa just as good as the traditional cognitive therapy. The primary objective of the project is to see whether the combination of physical exercise and dietary therapy is more effective in treating eating disorders, than cognitive therapy. Secondly, the investigators want to see whether there are any differences with regard to the individual satisfaction of treatment method, and to associated costs. Interviews with a sufficient number of participants from the PED-t arm to meet data saturation criteria, and all theraphists in the new treatment offer, will give uniqe insight to experiences with the treatment method and the delivery of treatment.