Cardiff University

Academic Institute

Samuel ChawnerProfessor Peter HolmansProfessor Marianne van den BreeProf Sir Michael OwenProfessor Cynthia Bulik

B3867

Eating disorders have a serious impact on an individual’s wellbeing and physical health. Individuals with eating disorders are up to 6 times more likely of dying prematurely, compared to healthy adults with no eating disorders. It is therefore crucial that we better understand the reasons why young people develop eating disorders. However, it is difficult to study the early signs of eating disorders because teenagers only see a doctor when they are already seriously ill. We need research into child development to identify early signs of eating disorders and to understand how eating disorders develop.

What do you think the likely impact of your research will be? My research proposal aims to understand the role of genetics in the development of eating disorders and related traits, and identify the biological processes that underly these traits. Greater knowledge of the biology of eating disorders has the potential to identify new biomarkers and inform new treatments and precision medicine approaches for patients.

02/09/2021