negative self-images into mindsets that value accept-
ance and emotional awareness. The end result of this
program is that it reminds people of their fundamental
relationship to food: that eating can be a source of
pleasure and satisfaction in daily life, instead of a
source of obsession and stress. The intuitive eating
plan trains its advocates to distinguish between emo-
tional cravings, which may lead to destructive eating
habits, and physical cravings, which are the body’s
means of communicating its valid nutritional needs.
The program also teaches that people can easily learn
to detect authentic feelings of hunger and fullness, to
avoid binging and overeating.
PrecautionsThe intuitive eating program is recommended by
its authors as an adjunct treatment for eating disorders
such as anorexia and bulimia, that have their origins in
psychological issues. Those with eating disorders
should first seek treatment by qualified medical prac-
titioners, counselors, or psychologists in conjunction
with programs such as intuitive eating.
Research and general acceptanceIn April 2007, researchers at the University of
California at Los Angeles published a report in the
journalAmerican Psychologistthat studied the long-
term results of dieting. This study concluded that
about two-thirds of the dieters had not lost weight
after five years of dieting, and in frequent cases had
actually gained weight. Statistics such as these rein-
force the idea among intuitive eaters that conventional
diets do not work as planned. In addition, a 2006 study
in theAmerican Journal of Health Education con-
cluded that intuitive eaters had lower obesity rates,
increased pleasure around eating, and fewer dieting
behaviors and food anxieties.
Resources
BOOKS
Schwartz, Bob.Diets Don’t Work: Stop Dieting, Become
Naturally Thin, Live a Diet-Free Life.Rochester, NY:
Breakthru Press, 2002.
Tribole, Evelyn and Elyse Resch.Intuitive Eating: A Revo-
lutionary Program That Works.New York: St. Mar-
tin’s, 2003.
ORGANIZATIONS
National Association of Anorexia Nervosa and Associated
Disorders (ANAD). P.O. Box 7, Highland Park, IL
- Crisis Hotline: (847) 831-3438. Website: http://
http://www.ANAD.org.
National Eating Disorders Association. 603 Steward Street,
Suite 803, Seattle, WA 98101. Hotline: (800) 931-2237.
Website: http://www.nationaleatingdisorders.org.
OTHER
Goldsmith, Belinda, ‘‘Dieters Put On Weight in the Long
Run: Study.’’Reuters Online, http://www.reuters.com,
April 2, 2007.
Intuitive Eating Homepage, http://www.intuitiveeating.org.
Smith, TeriSue and Steven R. Hawks, ‘‘Intuitive Eating,
Diet Composition, and the Meaning of Food in Healthy
Weight Promotion.’’American Journal of Health Edu-
cation, May/June 2006, Vol. 37, No. 3.Douglas Dupler, MAIntussusception
Definition
Intussusception is a medical emergency in which
one portion of the intestine (bowel) slides or ‘‘tele-
scopes’’ into another section of bowel, cutting off the
blood supply and blocking the flow of materials
through the digestive system.Description
In the process of intussusception, one part of the
intestine infolds into another section the intestine. The
most common place for this to occur is at the junction
where the end of the small intestine (the ileum) meets
the large intestine (the colon). Here, the small intestine
slides into the large intestine. Occasionally one part of
the small intestine will slide into another part of the
small intestine, but this is much less common.
Once the infolding begins, the blood supply is to
intestines and the tissue (mesentery) that surrounds it
and holds it in place is cut off. The intestines are a long
tube. The infolding tissue creates an obstruction that
blocks the passage of material through the intestine.
The walls of the intestine and the surrounding tissue
begin to swell, increasing the blockage. The intestine
may bleed or rupture, and eventually gangrene devel-
ops as the tissue dies.Demographics
Intussusception occurs most often in infants and
toddlers. It is the leading cause of intestinal obstruc-
tion in children ages 3 months to 5 years. The highest
rate of intussusception occurs in children age 3 to 12
months. Two-thirds of cases occur before the child’sIntussusception