ABSTRACT
Eating disorders are the most common psychiatric disorders afflicting young women and contribute to great detriments in psychological, social, and physical health. Two most common forms of eating disorders are anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa. Adapted physical educators, through the assessment of percentage of body fat, can ascertain the possible onset of the anorexic condition and can alert children, parents, and teachers to potential problems of excessive dieting and nutrition. If children consume more calories while they maintain the same level of physical activity, both body weight and fat will increase. Adapted physical educators can provides expertise in the area of growth and development, exercise, relaxation training, body image activities, and appropriate behavior management strategies. The activity levels of children with weight problems are often low, creating an imbalance of caloric intake that results in increased weight gain and increased percentage of body fat.
