The Living F.R.E.E Lab has some exciting news to share! Dr. Rachel Goode has received a NIH Mentored Patient-Oriented Research Career Development Award (K23). The funds from this grant will be used to conduct research to improve treatment for binge-eating among Black women. The purpose of the study is to create a digital tool to treat and prevent binge-eating and weight gain, and also improve participants’ overall well-being. The digital tool will be constructed based on the input of Black women who binge eat to identify the specific obstacles they face in treating their binge-eating behaviors. The Living F.R.E.E. Lab

Many people from historically and presently minoritized communities are no stranger to being the only person with their identities in any given room. Unfortunately, experiences in eating disorder treatment are no exception. Recent research has examined diversity among eating disorder professionals globally, finding that 89.6% of respondents identified as women, 84.1% as heterosexual, and 73% as white (Jennings Mathis et al., 2020). To me, these numbers come as no surprise. After working in an eating disorder treatment facility last year, I noticed the overwhelming homogeneity of my team. As a White, upper-class, cisgender, heterosexual female, I am afforded a lot

We’ve been busy this semester! The pandemic has brought new challenges, but our team has worked hard to examine a plethora of COVID-19 surveys and interviews in order to shed light on the unique challenges faced by persons struggling with disordered eating.   COVID-19 and Eating Disorders Study The Living FREE Lab is excited to collaborate with the UNC Center for Excellence in Eating Disorders (https://www.med.unc.edu/psych/eatingdisorders/) to analyze how COVID-19 has impacted eating disorders. Researchers from Chapel Hill, Sweden, and the Netherlands have collected baseline, monthly, and 1-year follow-up qualitative data on persons who have self-reported eating disorders. Approximately 500