What’s the Role of the Gut Microbiome in Eating Disorders? Find out at the International Conference on Eating Disorders

Reston, VA, March 20, 2018 - 

Newswise — Eating disorders affect individuals worldwide, can be lethal, and represent an enormous cost in healthcare treatment and lost productivity. Scientists are beginning to understand how the gut microbiome—the bacteria that reside in the gastrointestinal tract—play a role in the development and treatment of eating disorders. The 2018 International Conference on Eating Disorders (ICED), hosted by the Academy for Eating Disorders April 19-21, 2018, at the Chicago Marriott Downtown Magnificent Mile, will address this important issue.

In a plenary entitled “Listening to the Gut: The Role of the Microbiome in Eating Disorders,” experts will discuss cutting-edge microbiome research and its implications for the treatment of eating disorders. Dr. Ian Carroll (University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, USA) will review the rapidly developing research on the human gut microbiome and its impact on physical and behavioral health. Dr. Lee Kaplan (Massachusetts General Hospital, USA) will discuss the interaction of diet with the gut microbiome in obesity and malnutrition. Dr. Cynthia Bulik (University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, USA and Karolinska Institutet, Sweden) will discuss new research on links between the gut microbiome and eating disorders, emphasizing the role that biological and environmental factors play in the origins of these disorders. Finally, Dr. Philip Mehler (Eating Recovery Center, USA) will critically evaluate the extent to which findings on the gut microbiome apply to treatment settings. “Our understanding of biological risk factors for eating disorders is expanding. This plenary will allow professionals to broaden our view on how knowledge of the gut microbiome may directly relate to clinical practice,” Dr. Melissa Munn-Chernoff, plenary co-chair, said.

More information about the ICED 2018 program is accessible on the AED website.

ABOUT The Academy for Eating Disorders (AED) is an international professional association committed to the leadership in eating disorders research, education, treatment, and prevention. The goal of the AED is to provide global access to knowledge, research, and best treatment practice for eating disorders. For additional information, please contact Elissa Myers at (703) 626-9087 and visit the AED website at www.aedweb.org. ###