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Dr. Michaela Voss graduated medical school from University of Kansas Medical Center – Kansas City, KS, in 2010. She completed her pediatric internship and residency in 2013 at Children’s Hospital of Wisconsin – Milwaukee, WI. Afterwards, she pursued advanced training in the field of adolescent medicine, graduating from fellowship in 2016 at Seattle Children’s Hospital – Seattle, WA. 

During this time, Dr. Voss was a Leadership and Education in Adolescent Health (LEAH) Fellow and participated in research under a T32 grant. Currently, Dr. Voss is Medical Director of The Eating Disorder Center at Children’s Mercy – Kansas City, MO. In addition to her clinical and administration duties, she enjoys educating medical professionals and the general community about adolescent health and eating disorders. She participates in multiple research and quality improvement projects to expand evidence based medical knowledge of eating disorders. 

[00:01] Dr. Michaela Voss Shares Her Story With Us

• I introduce and welcome Dr. Michaela Voss 
• Michaela shares why focuses on eating disorders

[04:45] Terms About Eating Disorders

• Here are the terms that we need to be familiar with according to Michaela
• anorexia nervosa
• Bulimia nervosa
• Binge eating disorders
• Avoidant/restrictive food intake disorder
• Orthorexia nervosa
• Atypical anorexia nervosa
• Being healthy “to the extreme” is also not healthy
• Anorexia does not discriminate

[09:44] How to Prevent Eating Disorders 

• The role of the primary care pediatrician in preventing eating disorders
• Here are a few resources that pediatricians can access now
• Michaela shares some interesting insights about Body Mass Index
• Health should be prioritized over weight

[19:15] Health at Every Size

• Michaela talks about the concept of “health at every size” (HAES)
• Children know how to eat intuitively
• Michaela explains
• What pediatricians should tell kids and adolescents about their bodies
• Here’s an analogy about dogs that you should hear right now

[29:39] Plating at an Early Age

• What if we never weigh a child?
• Listen to our exchange here
• Guidelines and checklists that pediatricians can use 
• Why kids should start plating their food at 3-4 years old
• The things that primary care pediatricians should unlearn

[39:17] Eating Disorders and Mental Health

• The reason primary care providers should advocate for more research
• The right words to say and when to say them
• Connections between eating disorders and mental health
• Focusing on things that the patient can control themselves

[49:05] Learning From Other Disciplines

• Listen to Michaela’s message for her resident self
• The additional experience that might save a life
• Resources about HAES that you can access now

 [52:59] Closing Segment  

• Final takeaways:
• Categories of eating disorders
• Primary care providers and their role in preventing eating disorders
• The importance of awareness about eating disorders among primary care providers
• Rethinking body mass index
• Weight guidelines that providers can use
• Genetics and growth trends 
• Health parameters to considers, not just weight
• The dangers of focusing on weight only
• The concept of “health at every size”
• Advice we can share to families and patients
• Resources that can be useful to providers

Key Quotes:

“Even healthiness in the extreme is not healthy. Moderation is important.” - Dr. Michaela Voss 

“You can't make a change if you don't know that change needs to be made.” - Dr. Michaela Voss 

Email [email protected] to reach out to Michaela or check out https://www.childrensmercy.org/ to know more about her work.

Resources Mentioned:

• AAP Policy Statement: Identification and Management of Eating Disorders in Children and Adolescents
• National Eating Disorders Association (NEDA)
• Academy for Eating Disorders
• International Association Of Eating Disorders Professionals
• On Intuitive Eating: Ellyn Satter Institute
• The SeasonED RD Podcast by Beth Harrell
• Social media pages
• Lindo Bacon Community on Facebook
• Lindo Bacon on Instagram
• NEDA on Instagram
• Books
• Health at Every Size
• Sick Enough
• Eating Disorders
• Ellyn Satter books
• Eating Disorders: A Guide to Medical Care

If you’d like to connect with me, you can find me on LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter or email me at [email protected]. To learn more about me visit https://www.medicalbhs.com/

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