Graduate student Megan Mikhail and research specialist Kristen Culbert were featured in a news story about eating disorders

February 24, 2022 - Caroline Kraft

Graduate student Megan Mikhail and research specialist Kristen Culbert were featured in a Fox 47 News story about eating disorders. You can watch the video and read the full story here. 

 Mikhail and Culbert are members of Dr. Kelly Klump's lab, and study the biological and environmental influences on disordered eating behaviors. Their work also addresses common misconceptions about eating disorders.

This week is National Eating Disorders Awareness Week, so Mikhail and Culbert discussed some common stereotypes about eating disorders and causes of disordered eating behavior.

 

Culbert discussed the misconception that families cause eating disorders. Culbert told FOX 47 News, “Families are not the causes of an eating disorder. And actually, they can be the best allies in terms of treatment". 

Mikhail discussed the roles genetics and hormones play in developing eating disorders. 

Mikhail said, “We think that if you have some underlying genetic vulnerabilities for eating disorders, hormones might be really important in determining whether those genetic vulnerabilities actually like express or come out as an eating disorder."

Mikhail also addressed the misconception that eating disorders only affect girls and women with wealthy backgrounds. 

"We've found that in both boys and girls, they're more likely to develop eating disorder symptoms if they are from either a neighborhood that has less resources or less financial wealth or a family that has less financial resources," said Mikhail.