Researchers from the University of Aberdeen, the University of Edinburgh, and Cardiff University took a close look at studies on Avoidant/Restrictive Food Intake Disorder (ARFID) to help us understand it better. Here is what they found:
Transgender and non-binary (TNB) people are those whose gender is different from the sex they were assumed to be at birth. This includes trans men, trans women, nonbinary, agender, intersex, genderqueer and genderfluid people, as well as people with traditional or Indigenous gender identities..
In the UK, at least 0.5% of people identify as TNB (Office for National Statistics, 2023). Most research on eating disorders has focused on cisgender people – those whose gender matches the sex they were assumed to be at birth. However, in the last decade, more attention has been given to understanding eating disorders among TNB people.
Long-term eating disorders (EDs) are increasingly recognised as complex, enduring conditions that evolve over many years. The term SEED - “Severe and Enduring Eating Disorders”- is often used to describe such experiences, but the term itself raises important questions about definition, identity, and care. This summary explores what is known about long-term eating disorders, considering both research and lived experience perspectives, and reflects on how the field might move forward to support sustained recovery and quality of life.
Eating disorders are often described in terms of food, weight, and control. However, many people experience something less frequently talked about: a deep sense of loneliness and disconnection. This research summary shares some of what we know so far about how social relationships shape people’s experiences of eating disorders and recovery.
Binge eating means having distressing episodes of eating a large amount of food in a short time, while feeling out of control. It’s common, distressing, and treatable, and people from all backgrounds can experience it.
Two of the most common eating disorders are binge eating disorder and bulimia nervosa, and both involve binge eating. In bulimia nervosa, binge eating is followed by behaviours aimed at trying to “make up for” the binges, such as vomiting or fasting.
Both disorders can have a big impact on day-to-day life and are often linked with other mental and physical health difficulties.