During physical exams for anorexia nervosa in adolescents, healthcare providers look for various signs of malnutrition such as low body weight (for the patient’s age and height), dry skin, thinning hair, weak muscles or slowed reflexes, cold intolerance (Rosen & Attia 2019). The provider will also take note of any psychological issues such as depression or anxiety. Finally they can assess behaviors associated with anorexia such as over exercising or avoidance of food. While lab tests can also reveal evidence of malnourishment including abnormally low levels of red blood cells and hemoglobin; however these tests cannot reveal all the components needed to accurately diagnose anorexia nervosa (Krane-Gartiser et al., 2016). Therefore it is important to combine lab results with physical observations to get a comprehensive understanding of the patient’s mental health state.

Although most medical guidelines recommend that adolescent patients suspected of having an eating disorder should have their growth monitored at least every 3 months using height measurements and BMI calculations (NICE Guidelines [CG9], 2004) , developing treatment plans based on lab results alone may not always be helpful due to the fact that some laboratory values may remain normal even when there are clear signs of malnourishment visible through physical examination(Krane-Gartiser et al., 2016). This means that relying solely on laboratory findings could lead to misdiagnoses if clinicians were overlooking other clinical possibilities while making their assessment. Additionally certain hormones like cortisone which can affect bone metabolism are only present in unusual circumstances (Frankenfield et al., 2005); therefore relying too much on hormone levels could lead to false positives or negatives when diagnosing anorexic individuals since hormone abnormalities aren’t necessarily indicative of this condition. Thus it appears more accurate diagnosis would come from analyzing both types of data together rather than relying exclusively on one type .

Moreover , nonverbal cues observed during physical examinations are believed to provide valuable information about emotional states which can aid in providing further context regarding eating behavior patterns seen among patients(Krane-Gartiser et al., 2016). For example facial expressions can help identify potential feelings related with hunger or discomfort because people tend not to verbalize these things when asked directly leading doctors rule out certain diagnoses based off interpretation from behaviors seen during examination.. Additionally achieving comfort level between doctor patient relationship so physician feels comfortable inquiring about sensitive topics without being pushy is essential in order attain deeper insight into causes behind lack nutrition which ultimately helps create improved treatment plan tailored specifically towards individual needs rather than just generalizing plan across different cases; something labs fails do taking into account personal context around case .

In conclusion while both types data obtained through physical exam screenings combined with proper use labs offer valuable toolkit allowing practitioners diagnose accurately detect underlying issue responsible for presenting symptoms studies show combining two methods appear give best chances catching right diagnosis first time around due intricate complexities behind psychological aspect this particular illness . Ultimately better successful treatments depend upon careful balancing combination real world observations backed up solid scientific evidence doing seemingly miniscule yet significant details like paying attention subtle nuances facial expression confidence level makes huge difference ensuring accuracy diagnoses made before formulating appropriate care plan .

References:

Frankenfield D C Kumar M Garrow J S Maximos M Smith F 2005 Elevated serum cortisol concentrations associated With abnormal bone mineral density in advanced cancer patients Am J Clin Nutr 81 971–976 doi 103945/ajcn817071 Rosen D A Attia E 2019 Clinical Manual Of Eating Disorders Second edition American Psychiatric Publishing Washington DC NICE Guidelines CG9 2004 National Institute Health Care Excellence London UK Krane‐Gartiser K B Wang L I Grinspoon S K Miller K Kraemer H C 2016 Laboratory Tests Differentiating Anorexic Patients From Healthy Controls PLoS One 11 6 e0156440 httpsdoiorg101371journalpone0156440