Bulimia Nervosa

Researchers are evaluating the feasibility and preliminary clinical outcomes of a personalized digital treatment designed for adolescents with eating disorders aged 15 to 18 years. The study aims to understand who benefits from this digital approach, how acceptable and credible it is to participants, and the cost-effectiveness of delivering such treatment in routine child and adolescent psychiatric outpatient care. The intervention includes a therapist-guided digital program consisting of 8 modules delivered over 10 weeks, with weekly therapist contact. Participants will complete self-report questionnaires before, during, and after the treatment, as well as at 3- and 6-month follow-ups. The study also involves semi-structured phone interviews with some participants to explore their experiences with the treatment. Participants will be asked to complete various validated questionnaires assessing eating disorder symptoms, general psychopathology, quality of life, and treatment satisfaction throughout the study period. Adherence to the treatment and participant experiences will be monitored, along with health and social outcomes such as school attendance and emotional regulation. Data collection occurs online, and the total follow-up extends to six months after treatment completion.

Researchers are studying Severe and Enduring Eating Disorders (SEED), which are long-lasting eating disorders affecting adolescents and adults. The study aims to understand the clinical, psychological, and biological factors that contribute to the development and persistence of SEED. It follows two groups of patients, one aged 14-17 and one aged 18 and older, to observe changes and impacts over time. Participants will be followed at multiple points: at the start (baseline), after treatment, two years later, and then at five, 10, and 20 years after baseline. During these times, they will undergo physical exams, provide blood samples, participate in interviews, and complete questionnaires. Caregivers of minors will also complete questionnaires. The study collects extensive data on psychiatric symptoms, personality, emotion regulation, loneliness, and inflammatory markers. Throughout the study, participants will be assessed with various interviews and questionnaires to measure eating disorder symptoms, psychosocial functioning, quality of life, and biological markers. Weekly weight checks occur during treatment and follow-up. Researchers will analyze how different factors influence the course of the disorder and treatment outcomes. The study may last up to 20 years for some participants and includes regular digital questionnaire responses and registry data reviews.

Researchers are evaluating whether teaching people personalized versus standardized emotion regulation skills can better reduce daily negative emotions. The study also aims to see if matching participants to their predicted best skill training is feasible and helpful. This research may reveal how emotion regulation treatments impact emotional health and help develop personalized, evidence-based, and scalable interventions. Participants will be randomly assigned to learn one of three emotion regulation skills—cognitive restructuring, opposite to emotion action, or mindfulness—that matches their personal strengths, or to learn all three skills through interactive videos with surveys to practice and check understanding. These training conditions are designed to compare focused versus broad skill coverage. During the study, participants will report their emotions multiple times daily for 42 days, using the Positive and Negative Affect Schedule-Short Form. They will also complete assessments every two weeks for six weeks, measuring depression, anxiety, personality traits, responses to emotions, and breath-counting tasks. Researchers will monitor changes in emotion regulation effectiveness and emotional experiences to understand the impact of the training.

Researchers are evaluating the effects of a dietary supplement on blood-based nutritional biomarkers in healthy children aged 4 to 15 years. This pilot clinical study aims to gather preliminary data on how the supplement influences serum levels of vitamin D, vitamin B12, folate, omega-3 fatty acids, and other blood count parameters. The study is conducted by SF Research Institute, Inc. and focuses on understanding nutritional status through biomarker changes. The study involves a single group of participants who will take an investigational gummy dietary supplement called Kids Multi & Omegas. Children will be instructed to take two gummies once daily, with or without food, for a total of 4 weeks. Blood samples will be collected at the start and end of the study to assess changes in selected serum nutritional biomarkers. Participants will also undergo measurements of height, weight, and body mass index, and complete a socioeconomic questionnaire. Participants will attend two clinic visits: one for screening and baseline assessments and another at the end of the 4-week supplementation period. During the study, children or their caregivers will keep a daily diary recording supplement intake, medication use, and any side effects. Researchers will review compliance, collect blood samples, and assess changes in nutritional biomarkers and physical measurements. The total study duration for each participant is approximately 4 weeks.

Researchers are exploring whether behavioral and psychological factors are linked to the types and functions of bacteria in the intestines of children and adolescents with eating disorders (ED). The study focuses on differences in gut microbiota between young patients with ED and healthy peers, dietary and lifestyle influences on gut bacteria, and whether these factors can predict treatment response after one year. It also examines gut microbiota differences among various ED subtypes including anorexia nervosa and avoidant/restrictive food intake disorder (ARFID). The study involves two groups: children and adolescents recently diagnosed with an eating disorder and healthy participants matched by age and sex. Participants with ED will complete lifestyle and psychological questionnaires, undergo body measurements, and provide blood and stool samples at the start and after one year. Healthy participants will provide similar data only at baseline. Stool samples will be analyzed for bacteria types and functions using advanced DNA sequencing techniques. Participants will share detailed medical, psychiatric, and lifestyle histories through interviews and questionnaires. Researchers will measure body composition, blood markers related to hormones and inflammation, and analyze stool for gut bacteria and metabolites. Psychological tests will assess eating disorder symptoms and related mental health conditions. The main outcomes measured are gut microbiota composition and function at baseline, with follow-up after one year for patients. The study aims to improve understanding of gut-related factors in eating disorders to support personalized treatment approaches.

Researchers are evaluating a single-session, online, parent-focused intervention aimed at preventing body image concerns and disordered eating in young children aged 2 to 6 years. This study addresses the early recognition of societal appearance ideals by children and the role of parents in shaping their children's exposure to these ideals. The study focuses on reducing predictors of body image disturbance, which are linked to serious mental health issues including eating disorders that have significant psychological and physical impacts. The intervention consists of a modular workshop delivered online to parents, covering four key areas: Body Image Development and Body Talk, Food Talk, Picky Eating and Mealtime Conversations, and Media Usage and Social Comparison. Each module lasts about 10 minutes. In the study, 50 parents will receive the full intervention while another 50 parents in the control group will not receive any intervention but will complete knowledge checks. The study aims to test the acceptability and feasibility of this approach. Participants will complete the intervention modules and then provide feedback on their experience, including which module they found most useful, along with knowledge assessments. Researchers will monitor acceptability immediately after the intervention and track recruitment, retention, and data completeness over approximately one year. The study will also evaluate the initial effectiveness of the intervention directly after completion. Participation involves completing online modules and questionnaires during the study period.

This research aims to explore how international students at the University of Pavia adapt their food culture to the Mediterranean diet. It evaluates whether a food education intervention influences their nutritional status, physical activity levels, and risks of eating disorders related to changes in diet from their home countries. The study focuses on students aged 18 and older, assessing changes over a six-month period. Participants receive six food education sessions, three in person and three online, led by nutrition experts. These sessions provide personalized guidance on the principles of the Mediterranean diet, cooking skills, meal planning, and incorporating Mediterranean-style dishes. Measurements and assessments occur at the start, three months, and six months, allowing comparison over time. During the study, participants will undergo body composition analysis using weight, height, and bioelectrical impedance. They will complete online questionnaires and maintain a 3-day food diary at specified intervals. The study tracks adherence to the Mediterranean diet, health surveys, physical activity, and body composition changes. Visits include three clinic check-ups and three online meetings, supporting continuous engagement and monitoring throughout the six months.

Researchers are evaluating an intervention aimed at reducing weight bias internalization (WBI) and weight stigma among adolescents aged 13 to 17 years who have a body mass index (BMI) at or above the 95th percentile for their age and sex. The study will examine whether addressing WBI alongside a behavioral weight management program can improve physical and mental health outcomes, including biological stress markers and eating behaviors. This randomized pilot trial compares this combined intervention to a control group receiving general health information plus weight management. Participants will be randomly assigned to one of two groups. The first group will receive a 4-week program focused on weight stigma and WBI, followed by a 16-week behavioral weight management intervention that integrates WBI content. The second group will receive 4 weeks of health education on topics unrelated to weight, such as smoking cessation and skin cancer prevention, followed by the same 16-week behavioral weight management program without WBI content. Weekly 75-minute sessions are led by behavioral experts, and caregivers participate in four sessions with their teens. During the 20-week study, participants will attend weekly group sessions and undergo assessments at the start, after 4 weeks, and at the end of the program (20 weeks). These assessments include questionnaires measuring WBI, weight-related teasing, and eating behaviors, as well as biological tests for stress and inflammation markers like cortisol, CRP, and IL-6. Researchers will also track attendance, retention, and intervention acceptability. The study aims to gather data for larger future trials focused on adolescent weight management.

This research aims to evaluate a digital chatbot program designed to prevent eating disorders in a diverse group of adolescents aged 13 to 17 years. Eating disorders affect youth at high rates and often come with other mental health challenges. Since adolescence is a crucial time for developing eating disorders, this study focuses on prevention, especially among underserved groups such as low-income populations, sexual and gender minorities, racial or ethnic minorities, and those in rural areas who have less access to care. Participants will be randomly assigned to receive immediate access to a digital chatbot program called Wysa or to a waitlist control group. The chatbot offers five cognitive-behavioral therapy-based modules over three months, including psychoeducation and exercises on regular eating and improving body image. The waitlist group will receive access to the chatbot after completing the six-month study period. Throughout the study, participants will engage with the chatbot daily and be monitored over six months. Researchers will assess eating disorder risk factors using the Weight Concerns Scale at six months to measure the program's impact. Participants will also complete screening to ensure they are at risk but not currently in treatment for an eating disorder. The study is sponsored by Washington University School of Medicine and aims to improve access to prevention services for adolescents.

Researchers are evaluating the accuracy of low-cost self-completion questionnaires in identifying eating disorder symptoms compared to detailed clinical interviews and specialist assessments. The study focuses on adults referred to specialist eating disorder services, aiming to develop reliable tools for diagnosing common eating disorders like anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, and binge-eating disorder. This research responds to the priority need for better measurement methods recognized by healthcare professionals, patients, and caregivers. Participants will complete the Schedules for Clinical Assessment in Neuropsychiatry version 3 section 9 (SCANv3s9) semi-structured interview and two self-completion measures: the Eating Disorder Examination Questionnaire Short-Form (EDE-QS) and the SCOFF questionnaire. The study includes an initial assessment phase with 100 adults and a retesting phase with 25 participants to check reliability. The SCAN items cover symptoms over the past 4 weeks and the preceding 11 months. During the study, participants will undergo interviews lasting 60 to 84 minutes and fill out questionnaires taking just a few minutes each. Researchers will compare findings from these tools to clinician diagnoses and analyze agreement levels, sensitivity, and specificity. A subset will repeat assessments to measure consistency. The study helps establish benchmarks for diagnosing eating disorders in clinical and community settings, with participation lasting as needed for initial and retest evaluations.