EATING DISORDERS RESEARCH
$628,693 awarded to research since 1985
Often stigmatized as a sign of weakness or vanity, eating disorders have long been thought of as a character flaw of young women. In fact, eating disorders like bulimia and anorexia are clinical disorders affect as many as 30 million Americans—of all ages, races, and gender identities. Dangerously, these diseases have the highest mortality of any mental illness: they kill one person every hour. It is absolutely vital that we invest in early diagnosis and treatment, and strive to identify the genetic markers that tell us who may be most vulnerable.
Active Research
Avoidant/Restrictive Food Intake Disorder (ARFID) in Youth with Pediatric Feeding Disorder: Exploring Prevalence, Characteristics, and Unique Treatment Needs | Camden Matherne, PhD | $60,534
Avoidant/Restrictive Food Intake Disorder (ARFID) in Youth with Pediatric Feeding Disorder: Exploring Prevalence, Characteristics, and Unique Treatment Needs 2026 Award: $60,534 Although early detection and treatment of eating disorders improves clinical outcomes, Avoidant/Restrictive Food [...]
Functional Impairment in Adults with Eating Disorders: Identification of New Treatment Targets | Dr. Rachel Presskreischer | $58,756
Functional Impairment in Adults with Eating Disorders: Identification of New Treatment Targets 2025 Award: $58,756 Eating disorders can have devastating impacts on school, work, and relationships similar to the impacts of schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, [...]
Addressing an Urgent Need: Developing and Disseminating a Brief Eating Disorders Intervention for Primary Care (FAST-ED) | Pisetsky | $99,001
Addressing an Urgent Need: Developing and Disseminating a Brief Eating Disorders Intervention for Primary Care (FAST-ED) 2024 Award: $99,001 Eating disorders effect approximately 10% of the population, but many individuals with eating disorders experience [...]
Co-occurrence of Disorders of Gut-Brain Interaction and Feeding and Eating Disorders in Adolescence: Prevalence, Complications, and Clinical Management | Matherne | $40,396
Co-occurrence of Disorders of Gut-Brain Interaction and Feeding and Eating Disorders in Adolescence: Prevalence, Complications, and Clinical Management 2021 Award: $40,396 A body of research is emerging that links Feeding and Eating Disorders (FEDs) [...]
Predicting the Trajectory of Restrictive Eating in Childhood from Genetic Risk for Anorexia Nervosa | Watson & Bulik | $45,000
Predicting the Trajectory of Restrictive Eating in Childhood from Genetic Risk for Anorexia Nervosa 2016 Award: $45,000 Anorexia nervosa has the highest mortality rate of any psychiatric illness, and is also extremely difficult to [...]