Originally published at Science of Eating Disorders. Please leave any comments there.

Cognitive-behavioural therapy (CBT) is commonly described as the evidence-based treatment for bulimia nervosa. But do the findings from nearly perfectly crafted trials, with stringently followed protocols and “ideal” participants apply to the “real world”? How ( Read more... )

Originally published at Science of Eating Disorders. Please leave any comments there.

Genetics play an important role in the development of eating disorders and disordered eating behaviours. To date, many (over 30!) twin studies have been done and all but two found significant genetic effects on the development of eating disorders and disordered ( Read more... )

Originally published at Science of Eating Disorders. Please leave any comments there.

Over the years, I have read a number of articles describing eating disorder prevention programs. Unfortunately, many reveal limited efficacy, and some even highlight detrimental effects. Primary among concerns of those evaluating prevention programs is that even ( Read more... )

Originally published at Science of Eating Disorders. Please leave any comments there.

Restricting, bingeing, and purging are powerful ways to regulate emotional states. However, these behaviours probably play different roles in emotional regulation. Whereas restriction is hypothesized to pre-empt the onset of highly emotional states, bingeing and ( Read more... )

Originally published at Science of Eating Disorders. Please leave any comments there.

What is different about anorexia nervosa sufferers that, in contrast to most dieters, enables them to maintain a persistent calorie deficit? Although no one can truthfully claim they know the full answer to that question, we do know that part of the answer most ( Read more... )

Originally published at Science of Eating Disorders. Please leave any comments there.

I recently attended the International Society of Critical Health Psychology’s 8th Biennial Conference in Bradford, England. At the conference, I had the pleasure of attending many talks that challenged the way we approach health psychology. Luckily for me, there ( Read more... )

Originally published at Science of Eating Disorders. Please leave any comments there.

Cholecystokinin (CCK) is a digestive hormone that stimulates fat and protein digestion, and promotes the feeling of satiety. CCK is released after food consumption to promote digestion (by releasing digestive enzymes from the pancreas and stimulating bile secretion ( Read more... )

Originally published at Science of Eating Disorders. Please leave any comments there.

Excessive exercise played a big role in my eating disorder and, predictably, I am drawn to studies that look at the role excessive exercise plays in eating disorder symptomatology, course and outcome. This topic has captured the interest of many eating disorder ( Read more... )

Originally published at Science of Eating Disorders. Please leave any comments there.

Is banning content that is thought to “promote” eating disorders such as anorexia nervosa (pro-ana) a good idea? I want to put aside the question of whether the goal is even possible (I would argue that it is not) and focus instead on what might happen if pro-ana ( Read more... )

Originally published at Science of Eating Disorders. Please leave any comments there.

The experiences of siblings of individuals with eating disorders has received relatively little space in the academic literature to date. Several studies have revealed the disruptions in family life that can occur when a child has an eating disorder (for example, ( Read more... )