APA Dictionary of Psychology

a program to counter the effects of undernutrition and malnutrition caused by eating disorders, disease, or lack of access to sufficient or appropriate food. In severely malnourished people, nutritional rehabilitation must be carried out slowly, with frequent monitoring of vital signs and electrolyte levels, to avoid refeeding syndrome, in which the body cannot metabolize the nutritional input and severe, even fatal, cardiac and neurological complications can occur. Oral consumption of food may be supplemented by enteral or parenteral nutrition. In severely underweight people with anorexia nervosa, refeeding may need to occur first, before psychological treatment, to stabilize the patient’s health and restore an acceptable body weight. In other situations, refeeding and psychological treatment may be carried out in tandem.