Eating Disorders (EDs) are “behavioral conditions characterized by severe and persistent disturbance in eating behaviors and associated distressing thoughts and emotions.” A recent US study estimated that between 2018 and 2019, one person died from an ED every 51.5 minutes. The report projected that 28.8 million US people will suffer from an ED at some point in their lifetime, and women were two times more likely to have an ED than men. Conversion estimates predict that 278,266 Utahns (or 9.0%) will experience an ED. Given the mortality risk, higher rates among women, and the predicted prevalence of EDs in Utah, the Utah Women & Leadership Project (UWLP) seeks to better understand what may be affecting this public health crisis in our state.
Recently, the UWLP published a research snapshot on eating disorders among Utah women, which is the focus of this episode. Dr. Susan Madsen, Founding Director of the UWLP, is joined by Dr. Maya Miyairi, a former faculty member at Utah State University and currently a research scientist for the Center for Community Research at DePaul University; Dr. Sara Boghosian, a clinical assistant professor of psychology at Utah State University; and Sadie Wilde, an assistant professor of health & wellness at USU Extension.