Evidence-based treatment is backed by scientific evidence and is the conscientious, explicit and judicious use of current best evidence in making decisions about the care of individual patients. Although eating disorders have been treated for centuries, treatment has been guided by the experience and beliefs of the individual clinician. Over time, countless ideas have circulated about both the causes and best treatments for eating disorders but few have been tested to see how well they work in practice. Just as is done with pharmaceuticals, it is important for treatment approaches for mental illness to be ''evidence-based."  Source 1 Source 2