Dr. Gupta is a licensed psychologist and professor at Barnard College, Columbia University. She specializes in the treatment of anxiety and eating/weight issues at Tribeca Psychology in NYC
Dr. Gupta spoke today on the Pix11 New York morning news about how eating disorders are not limited to white women. Recent research suggests that African-Americans, Hispanics, Asian-Americans, and Caucasians are all suffering from eating disorders.
For many women, pregnancy triggers increased stress related to eating –Am I gaining too much weight? Am I gaining enough weight? Am I eating the right foods? The range of worries around eating and weight may seem endless. A new research study released online this week sought to answer questions around how binge eating actually affects both the baby's and mother’s physical health.
Children today are experiencing puberty at earlier ages than ever before. A recent NY Times article prompted much discussion over girls beginning puberty as young as 6-years-old. Could the timing of puberty be related to eating disorder symptoms? A study released online this month suggests this is true for both girls and boys.
What constitutes an episode of binge eating? This simple question has lead to numerous research studies seeking to better define the criteria for Binge Eating Disorder and Bulimia Nervosa. Many researchers have been advocating a looser definition of binge eating, but there is concern that this would substantially increase the number of people who could be diagnosed; and perhaps pathologize otherwise normal behavior. A new study shows this concern isn’t warranted.
The prevalence of eating disorders in men, particularly gay/bisexual men, has been getting greater media attention in the last few years. A new research study released online last month compared symptoms of bulimia and anorexia in gay/bisexual men versus straight men. In certain cases, being in a relationship seems to help protect against eating disorder symptoms for gay/bisexual men.
Everyday we encounter advertisements showing provocative photos of women. Magazine ads, tv commercials, and billboards all work by grabbing our attention. How do girls with an eating disorder, who, by definition, are preoccupied with body image, deal with these photos? New research released online this month tracked the actual eye movements of teens as they viewed various pictures of women – and found differences between teens with and without an eating disorder.
In the moments before people begin to binge eat, they often feel some kind of negative emotion – from sadness to anxiety to loneliness. Does binge eating make them feel better? Why do some people have an urge to eat when they’re down while others don’t? New research released online this month investigates how the brain reacts to food when people with bulimia are experiencing negative emotion.
A myriad of personal factors influence how we function in relationships, from personality to financial habits to cleanliness – and eating issues are no exception. New research to be published next month investigated how binge eating is related to the quality of marriage. Are people who binge eat as happy in their marriage as those who don’t binge eat? The research suggests this isn’t the case.
Eating disorders are often suffered in secret – like late night binging on hidden foods. Such behaviors are difficult to overcome alone and reaching out to others for support can be vital to recovery. However, eating disorders can take a toll on family and friends, too. A new study released online last week examined the degree to which caregivers feel burdened and how their perception of the burden changes over time.
Binge eating in adulthood is often associated with dieting as a teen. Of course most people who diet do not go on to develop binge eating or other eating disorders. However, for those who do – what sets them apart from the rest? What’s different about people who diet and later develop binge eating compared to others who do not? A new study released online last week identified 2 key factors in the relationship between dieting and binge eating.
May 3, 2012