- Perceived oppositions between the physical and emotional aspects of eating disorder treatment and recovery were identified. 
- There is an opposition between the ‘rarity’ and ‘recovery’ aspects of eating disorders, as the prospect of recovery from eating disorders is often unknown, underestimated or overestimated among health professionals.
- Another opposition occurred between the professional and family members focusing on the ‘visible signs of eating disorders’ seeing physical status as the most valuable measure of treatment and recovery, as compared with individuals with eating disorders
focusing on psychological markers such as improved ‘well-being’ and feeling ‘normal’.
- Overall, this lack of clarity resulted in a weight versus well-being paradigm and constituted a considerable barrier at the eating disorder healthcare interface frequently described by individuals with eating disorders and their family/friends as ‘too much focus on food and weight’, reported in both primary and secondary care.

Sub-theme: The Weight Versus Well-Being Paradigm

- Oppositions existing within the weight versus well-being paradigm were also reported as part of a ‘power system’ throughout the eating disorder pathway, to the detriment of good practice.
- It was important to not remove all control and power from those affected by eating disorders and professionals should adopt directional not authoritative stances and be
firm yet consistent.
- In eating disorders, if power relations were distributed more fairly in the eating disorder care setting, the ultimate wish of all parties for more room for greater collaboration in eating disorder treatment would result.

Sub-theme: Power Relations Versus Collaboration

- The third theme that emerged in the data is collaboration versus opposition in the treatment of eating disorders. 

Arizona State University

One study examined the current literature on the experiences and perspectives of those across healthcare interfaces for eating disorders, to include individuals with eating disorders, people close to or caring for those with eating disorders such as family and friends, and health professionals.

Subjective Experiences of Eating Disorder Treatments 

Johns, G., Taylor, B., John, A., & Tan, J. (2019). Current eating disorder healthcare services - the perspectives and experiences of individuals with eating disorders, their families and health professionals: Systematic review and thematic synthesis. BJPsych Ppen, 5(4), e59. https://doi.org/10.1192/bjo.2019.48

Current eating disorder healthcare services – the perspectives and experiences of individuals with eating disorders, their families and health professionals: systematic review and thematic synthesis

- The first dominant theme that emerged from the literature is the help-seeking process and the primary care setting. 
- This entails two subthemes and describes the process of individuals with eating disorders and family/friends of those with eating disorders seeking professional help in primary care settings, and the professional role of the primary health professionals in this process.

Theme: The Help-Seeking Process

- The second dominant theme is the ‘expectations of care and appropriate referrals’. 
- This theme entails two subthemes. This looks at the ‘ideal’, and the functions and barriers surrounding the assumed best’ eating disorder service.

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