Research summary
Eating disorders are serious psychiatric conditions that affect about 13 per cent of women, causing significant psychological and medical effects. They often occur alongside other conditions, such as major depressive disorder and substance use, pointing to the existence of fundamental processes that can cause multiple forms of psychopathology.
As Canada Research Chair in Eating Disorders, Dr. Sarah Racine is trying to identify risk and maintenance factors for eating disorders that are shared with other psychiatric disorders while also being specific to eating disorders and their core symptoms. Ultimately, findings by Racine and her research team may lead to prevention strategies and treatments that are both specific to eating disorders and applicable to other mental health illnesses.