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Dedicated to making eating disorder research more accessible to the public, Science of Eating Disorders summarizes and reviews recent findings in peer-reviewed research on the genetics, neurobiology and psychiatry of eating disorders.
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- June 18, 2013
- 03:05 PM
- 19 views
Life After Recovery for Men with Eating Disorders
by Andrea in Science of Eating Disorders
While there is growing recognition that (surprise, surprise!) men are not immune to eating disorders, men are still underrepresented in the literature about eating disorders. We know comparatively little about what it is like to be a man with an eating disorder, and less still about recovery and life after recovery for these individuals. Recently, Björk, Wallin, & Pettersen (2012) conducted a qualitative study that asked men who had been diagnosed with an eating disorder and completed........ Read more »
Björk T, Wallin K, & Pettersen G. (2012) Male experiences of life after recovery from an eating disorder. Eating Disorders, 20(5), 460-8. PMID: 22985242
- June 11, 2013
- 08:14 AM
- 35 views
Beyond Simple Solutions: The Need for Complex Ideas in Anorexia Nervosa
by Andrea in Science of Eating Disorders
I often hesitate to make broad, sweeping claims about the nature, cause, and experience of eating disorders and disordered eating. However, if there is one thing I feel absolutely certain saying about these disorders, it is that they are incredibly complex and multifaceted with no “one-size fits all” solution. So, I was quite excited when I came across a recent article by Michael Strober and Craig Johnson (2012) that explores the complexity of eating disorders and their treatment. Both........ Read more »
Strober, M., & Johnson, C. (2012) The need for complex ideas in anorexia nervosa: Why biology, environment, and psyche all matter, why therapists make mistakes, and why clinical benchmarks are needed for managing weight correction. International Journal of Eating Disorders, 45(2), 155-178. DOI: 10.1002/eat.22005
- June 8, 2013
- 07:43 PM
- 88 views
Posttraumatic Stress Disorder in Women with Bulimia Nervosa
by Tetyana Pekar in Science of Eating Disorders
Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is 3-5 times more prevalent in individuals with bulimia nervosa (BN) than those without (Dansky et al., 1997). However, the relationship between PTSD and BN–in particular, how PTSD might affect or moderate bulimic symptoms–remains largely unexplored. In a recent study, Trisha Karr and colleagues followed 119 women (20 with PTSD and BN, and 99 with BN only) for 2-week period to investigate whether participants with comorbid PTSD + BN dif........ Read more »
Karr, T., Crosby, R., Cao, L., Engel, S., Mitchell, J., Simonich, H., & Wonderlich, S. (2013) Posttraumatic stress disorder as a moderator of the association between negative affect and bulimic symptoms: an ecological momentary assessment study. Comprehensive Psychiatry, 54(1), 61-69. DOI: 10.1016/j.comppsych.2012.05.011
- June 4, 2013
- 10:10 PM
- 49 views
Is Anorexia Nervosa a Subtype of Body Dysmorphic Disorder?
by Tetyana Pekar in Science of Eating Disorders
Is anorexia nervosa a subtype of body dysmorphic disorder (BDD)? Well, probably not, but don’t click the close button just yet. In this post, I’ll explore the relationship between anorexia nervosa and BDD, and discuss how understanding this relationship might help us develop better treatments for both disorders.
Despite the fact that there are obvious similarities between the disorders, studies exploring the relationship between BDD and AN are few and far between. ........ Read more »
Hartmann AS, Greenberg JL, & Wilhelm S. (2013) The relationship between anorexia nervosa and body dysmorphic disorder. Clinical psychology review, 33(5), 675-685. PMID: 23685673
- May 28, 2013
- 09:44 PM
- 42 views
Interpreting Anti-Obesity Campaigns with a History of Disordered Eating
by Andrea in Science of Eating Disorders
Advertisements bemoaning the evils of obesity, begging us to eat healthier and to exercise, surround us every day. Big corporations and governments alike have jumped on the anti-obesity bandwagon, crafting public service announcements aimed at correcting what is being framed as an epidemic. For many, these messages are likely generic reminders to strive for health, if they are noticed at all. But what about individuals with eating disorders? A recent (2012) study by Catling & Malson (f........ Read more »
Catling, L, & Malson, H. (2012) Feeding a fear of fatness? A preliminary investigation of how women with a history of eating disorders view anti-obesity health promotion campaigns. Psychology of Women Section Review, 14(1). info:/
- May 24, 2013
- 01:13 PM
- 30 views
The Genetics of Thin-Ideal Internalization
by Tetyana Pekar in Science of Eating Disorders
The Tripartite Model of body image dissatisfaction postulates that three factors (peers, parents, and media) affect body image dissatisfaction and disordered eating through thin-ideal internalization and appearance comparison.
Thin-ideal internalization is the extent to which one accepts or “buys into” socioculturally defined beauty standards of thinness. The idea is that the more someone internalizes these standards, the more likely they are to engage in behaviours to ac........ Read more »
Suisman, J., O'Connor, S., Sperry, S., Thompson, J., Keel, P., Burt, S., Neale, M., Boker, S., Sisk, C., & Klump, K. (2012) Genetic and environmental influences on thin-ideal internalization. International Journal of Eating Disorders, 45(8), 942-948. DOI: 10.1002/eat.22056
- May 17, 2013
- 12:13 PM
- 121 views
Transitioning from Adolescent to Adult Eating Disorder Treatment Programs: What Are The Challenges?
by Andrea in Science of Eating Disorders
Navigating health service systems can seem daunting, to say the least. Making phone calls, getting doctor appointments and referrals, attending intake appointments, and preparing oneself for treatment can be both mentally and physically draining. When children and adolescents develop eating disorders, their parents become the main navigators in this scenario, making decisions and arrangements for their under-18-year-olds. But what happens when these adolescents reach the age of 18, and sti........ Read more »
Dimitropoulos, G., Tran, A., Agarwal, P., Sheffield, B., & Woodside, B. (2013) Challenges in Making the Transition Between Pediatric and Adult Eating Disorder Programs: A Qualitative Study From the Perspective of Service Providers. Eating Disorders, 21(1), 1-15. DOI: 10.1080/10640266.2013.741964
- May 13, 2013
- 09:43 AM
- 77 views
Bingeing and Purging: Keeping the “Positives” and Eliminating The Negatives?
by Liz in Science of Eating Disorders
I have been fascinated and perplexed by reports of the seemingly invigorating and anxiety reducing effects of bingeing and purging (purging by self-induced vomiting). Personally, I cringe at the idea of self-induced vomiting and have always wanted to avoid vomiting at all costs, including during food poisoning. The insight from recent blog entries and the subsequent comments has made an impact on me. I see that the motivation to engage in bingeing/purging (b/p-ing) behavior ........ Read more »
Avena, N., Rada, P., Moise, N., & Hoebel, B. (2006) Sucrose sham feeding on a binge schedule releases accumbens dopamine repeatedly and eliminates the acetylcholine satiety response. Neuroscience, 139(3), 813-820. DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroscience.2005.12.037
- May 9, 2013
- 02:24 PM
- 47 views
Dancing Your Way to Recovery from Anorexia Nervosa
by Andrea in Science of Eating Disorders
The idea of including dance and movement in interventions for eating disorders may seem somewhat controversial; generally, exercise and physical activity are discouraged for individuals recovering from eating disorders. Including dance in therapeutic interventions might raise a few eyebrows given the links between appearance-oriented athletic endeavors such as ballet and gymnastics and the development of eating disorders.
However, some therapists and scholars interested in alternative ther........ Read more »
Padrão, M., & Coimbra, J. (2011) The Anorectic Dance: Towards a New Understanding of Inner-Experience Through Psychotherapeutic Movement. American Journal of Dance Therapy, 33(2), 131-147. DOI: 10.1007/s10465-011-9113-7
- April 28, 2013
- 11:57 PM
- 78 views
Factors Associated with Recovery from Anorexia Nervosa
by Tetyana Pekar in Science of Eating Disorders
Why do some people recover anorexia nervosa relatively quickly while others seem to struggle for years or decades? Does it depend on the person’s desire to get better? Their willpower? How much they are willing to fight? Is it just that some try harder than others? Some might say yes, but most will correctly realize that the picture is much, much more complex.
We can spend hours talking about barriers to treatment, but in this post I want to talk about something slightly different, somethi........ Read more »
Zerwas, S., Lund, B., Von Holle, A., Thornton, L., Berrettini, W., Brandt, H., Crawford, S., Fichter, M., Halmi, K., Johnson, C.... (2013) Factors associated with recovery from anorexia nervosa. Journal of Psychiatric Research. DOI: 10.1016/j.jpsychires.2013.02.011
- April 26, 2013
- 11:18 AM
- 97 views
Patient Perspectives on Anorexia, Treatment, and Therapeutic Alliance
by Andrea in Science of Eating Disorders
Dear Science of Eating Disorders readers, please welcome Andrea, our newest contributor! Below is her introduction and first post.
Hello SEDs readers, my name is Andrea and I’m excited to be contributing to the blog. I have an undergraduate degree in sociology and I am currently a Masters student studying family relations and human development. My research is looking at the experiences of young women in recovery from eating disorders, and uses qualitative methods including narrative interviews........ Read more »
Boughtwood, D., & Halse, C. (2009) Other than obedient: Girls' constructions of doctors and treatment regimes for anorexia nervosa. Journal of Community . DOI: 10.1002/casp.1016
- April 22, 2013
- 03:51 PM
- 133 views
Family-Based Treatment for Adolescents with Anorexia Nervosa: Hype or Hope?
by Tetyana Pekar in Science of Eating Disorders
When it comes to eating disorder treatment, few (if any) approaches are as divisive as Family-Based Treatment, also known as the Maudsley Method (I’ll use the terms interchangeably) . When I first heard about Maudsley, sometime during my mid-teens, most likely through an ED recovery community on Livejournal, I thought it was scaaary. But as I’ve learned more about it, my opinion changed (although, it does still seem kind-of scary).
As a side-note: I know many peop........ Read more »
Smith, A., & Cook-Cottone, C. (2011) A Review of Family Therapy as an Effective Intervention for Anorexia Nervosa in Adolescents. Journal of Clinical Psychology in Medical Settings, 18(4), 323-334. DOI: 10.1007/s10880-011-9262-3
- April 18, 2013
- 10:18 AM
- 87 views
Nonpurging Bulimia Nervosa: Where Does It Fit?
by Tetyana Pekar in Science of Eating Disorders
When most people think of bulimia nervosa, they think of binge eating and self-induced vomiting. While that is not incorrect, it is not the full picture either. In the current edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual (DSM-IV), there are two subtypes of bulimia nervosa: purging (BN-P) and nonpurging (BN-NP). The difference lies in the types of compensation methods: patients with BN-P engage in self-induced vomiting, or the misuse of laxatives, diuretics, or enemas whereas patients with BN........ Read more »
van Hoeken, D., Veling, W., Sinke, S., Mitchell, J., & Hoek, H. (2009) The validity and utility of subtyping bulimia nervosa. International Journal of Eating Disorders, 42(7), 595-602. DOI: 10.1002/eat.20724
- April 15, 2013
- 12:27 AM
- 112 views
What’s The Point of Bingeing and Purging? And Why Can’t You Just Stop?
by Tetyana Pekar in Science of Eating Disorders
I defended my MSc degree on Tuesday and I’m not going to lie: I was pretty symptomatic with bulimia in the days prior to my defence. As I was explaining to my boyfriend, the anxiety-reducing effects of purging are so powerful, and the compulsion to binge and purge (when I’m stressed/anxious/”not okay”) is so strong that it is much easier to do it, get it over with, and continue working (in a much calmer state).
I’ve mentioned before, for me, purging is very anxiety-........ Read more »
Smyth, J., Wonderlich, S., Heron, K., Sliwinski, M., Crosby, R., Mitchell, J., & Engel, S. (2007) Daily and momentary mood and stress are associated with binge eating and vomiting in bulimia nervosa patients in the natural environment. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 75(4), 629-638. DOI: 10.1037/0022-006X.75.4.629
- April 9, 2013
- 11:37 PM
- 81 views
Diabulimia: A Dangerous Duet
by Shelly in Science of Eating Disorders
Type 1 diabetes (DMT1, or T1DM) is a lifelong disease often diagnosed in children or adolescents. Though causes of DMT1 are complex and not fully understood, it results from the body’s immune system destroying its own insulin-producing cells. This drastically lowers insulin levels and leads to high blood sugar (insulin is crucial for regulating blood sugar). If not managed properly, DMt1 can wreck havoc on the nerves, heart, and retina. The onset of DMT1 often results in dramatic weight l........ Read more »
Walker, J., Young, R., Little, J., & Steel, J. (2002) Mortality in Concurrent Type 1 Diabetes and Anorexia Nervosa. Diabetes Care, 25(9), 1664-1665. DOI: 10.2337/diacare.25.9.1664-a
Alejandra Larrañaga, María F Docet and Ricardo V García-Mayor. (2011) Disordered eating behaviors in type 1 diabetic patients. World J Diabetes., 2(11), 189-195. info:/10.4239/wjd.v2.i11.189
- April 4, 2013
- 04:47 PM
- 309 views
Binge Eating: When Should We Call It An “Addiction”?
by Liz in Science of Eating Disorders
Hello Science of Eating Disorders readers! This is a guest post by Liz. Liz is a PhD Candidate in Psychology at the University of Toronto. You can read more about her research, interests, and eating disorder history on her “About” page.
And the usual “disclaimer”: Please keep in mind that I (Tetyana) give as much freedom as possible to guest writers and contributors to write about their own interests and viewpoints. That means that we don’t all necessary agree; there i........ Read more »
Boggiano, M., Turan, B., Maldonado, C., Oswald, K., & Shuman, E. (2013) Secretive food concocting in binge eating: Test of a famine hypothesis. International Journal of Eating Disorders, 46(3), 212-225. DOI: 10.1002/eat.22077
Corwin, R., Avena, N., & Boggiano, M. (2011) Feeding and reward: Perspectives from three rat models of binge eating. Physiology , 104(1), 87-97. DOI: 10.1016/j.physbeh.2011.04.041
Stice, E., Figlewicz, D., Gosnell, B., Levine, A., & Pratt, W. (2012) The contribution of brain reward circuits to the obesity epidemic. Neuroscience . DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2012.12.001
- March 30, 2013
- 09:38 AM
- 166 views
Eating Disorders in the Elderly
by Tetyana Pekar in Science of Eating Disorders
The first published case of a late-onset eating disorder (at the age of 40) was in 1930 by John M. Berkman. In 1936, John A. Ryle published a case study of an eating disorder in a 59-year-old woman. Just how common are eating disorders in late middle-age or elderly individuals?... Read more »
Lapid, M., Prom, M., Burton, M., McAlpine, D., Sutor, B., & Rummans, T. (2010) Eating disorders in the elderly. International Psychogeriatrics, 22(04), 523-536. DOI: 10.1017/S1041610210000104
- March 25, 2013
- 12:08 AM
- 135 views
Are There Any Meaningful Differences Between Subthreshold and Full Syndrome Anorexia Nervosa?
by Tetyana Pekar in Science of Eating Disorders
I see this on an daily basis: patients with subtreshold eating disorders feeling invalidated and “not sick enough.” They are struggling so much, but maybe they still have their periods, or maybe their weight isn’t quite low enough, and so they often (but not always, thankfully) get dismissed by doctors, other healthcare professionals, and insurance companies. Do you think you really need this treatment, maybe you can just focus on eating healthier? You know you are not fat, you........ Read more »
Le Grange, D., Crosby, R., Engel, S., Cao, L., Ndungu, A., Crow, S., Peterson, C., Mitchell, J., & Wonderlich, S. (2013) DSM-IV-Defined Anorexia Nervosa Versus Subthreshold Anorexia Nervosa (EDNOS-AN). European Eating Disorders Review, 21(1), 1-7. DOI: 10.1002/erv.2192
- March 21, 2013
- 04:36 PM
- 372 views
Your Body’s Response to Chewing and Spitting: The Role of Insulin
by Shelly Fan in Science of Eating Disorders
In my previous post, I looked at two hormones released during the cephalic phase (gastric secretion that occurs before food is eaten), ghrelin and obestatin, and how they may contribute to runaway eating behavior. Today I’m going to be looking at insulin release during chew and spit (CHSP), a fairly common symptom in eating disorders where the food is tasted, chewed and spit out. Insulin is a small peptide hormone that acts as a key regulator of metabolism; deregulation of insulin signalling........ Read more »
Broberg DJ, & Bernstein IL. (1989) Cephalic insulin release in anorexic women. Physiology , 45(5), 871-4. PMID: 2675143
Moyer A, Rodin J, & Cummings N. (1993) Cephalic phase insulin release in bulimia. The International journal of eating disorders, 14(3), 331-9. PMID: 8275069
Teff KL, & Engelman K. (1996) Palatability and dietary restraint: effect on cephalic phase insulin release in women. Physiology , 60(2), 567-73. PMID: 8840920
Teff KL. (2011) How neural mediation of anticipatory and compensatory insulin release helps us tolerate food. Physiology , 103(1), 44-50. PMID: 21256146
- March 18, 2013
- 03:30 PM
- 143 views
Demystifying the Genetics of Eating Disorders – Part II
by Tetyana Pekar in Science of Eating Disorders
In my last post I talked about some methods that scientists use to study the genetics of eating disorders. I focused on a subfield of genetics called behavioural genetics (which you can think of as a field that attempts to understand, in part, the interplay of genetics and environment in behaviour). In this post I’ll shift gears and focus on molecular genetics. I’ll be working of the same review paper by Drs. Zerwas and Bulik (2011). Molecular geneticists study the structure and........ Read more »
Zerwas, S., & Bulik, C. (2011) Genetics and Epigenetics of Eating Disorders. Psychiatric Annals, 41(11), 532-538. DOI: 10.3928/00485713-20111017-06
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