On September 15–17, research assistants Hannah Wolfe and Rebecca Gwira represented the Living F.R.E.E. Lab in a poster presentation at the XXVIII Eating Disorders Research Society (EDRS) Annual Meeting in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Researchers, including the lab’s Principal Investigator Dr. Rachel Goode, gathered to share and discuss emergent research related to eating disorders. Conference attendees included social workers, psychologists, and medical professionals, among others. The poster presented research on treatment-related perceptions and experiences of individuals with current or prior eating disorders during the first year of the Covid-19 pandemic in the United States. Research assistant Hannah Wolfe described the experience by stating,

Trauma Response Warning: This article contains discussions about suicide Individuals with eating disorders may experience a psychological toll that can lead to devasting consequences, including suicidality. The week of September 4th through 10th is National Suicide Prevention Week, an initiative that aims to raise awareness about prevalence of suicidality and ways it can be prevented. Research shows that among individuals with mental health diagnoses, those with eating disorders have the highest suicide rates (Discovery Contributor, 2021). To prevent suicide among individuals with eating disorders it is important to explore the prevalence of suicidality and relevant risk factors. One study found

While literature on the nuances within eating disorders (EDs) continues to grow, there is still much to be debunked about their development, trajectory, and impact. One area that has been gaining attention in ED research and clinical work is food insecurity. Food insecurity can be defined as a lack of consistent access to enough food to lead a well-nourished and healthy life (Coleman et al., 2014) and has been found to be associated with increases in ED pathology (See a past blog post for a review of a study on this link). Recent works explaining the food insecurity and ED

Approximately 70% of women report withdrawing from activities due to body image concerns,1 which can make it especially difficult to enjoy the summer season often filled with activities. The summer can be particularly challenging for women, sexual minority men, and others working on body acceptance or eating disorder recovery. Research has found that in the summer, patterns of body dissatisfaction are often linked to peaks in pressures from media and peers, feelings that our bodies are on display, and appearance comparisons.2 Together, these findings can lead to a heightened sense of insecurities and difficulties managing body expectations in the summer.