Newswise — Reston,VA, March 13, 2018 - Eating disorders are serious illnesses with the highest mortality rate of all psychological disorders. Although it’s commonly believed they affect only young women, eating disorders actually affect all genders, ages, weights, and ethnicities. Traditionally, treatment for eating disorders has emphasized care by psychologists, physicians, and other health care providers. Unfortunately, however, most of those with eating disorders receive no treatment. This gap leads to the question, How do we extend the reach of effective psychological interventions to more people? At 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, keynote speaker and renowned psychologist Dr. Alan Kazdin (Yale University, USA) will take on this question.
In a keynote address entitled, “Reducing the Burdens of Eating Disorders: Beyond Evidence-based Interventions and their Dissemination,” Dr. Kazdin will present new ways of thinking about treating eating disorders, such as via low-cost efforts that are provided in everyday settings by lay people, not experts. Dr. Kazdin explained, “There are multiple models of treatment delivery that draw from health care, business and industry, social policy, and law and can be deployed to provide treatment for eating disorders and reach many individuals in need who have no access to services.” With the goal of helping more people benefit, he will also discuss other ways of improving the ways researchers study eating disorder treatment and prevention.
“We are excited to rise to Dr. Kazdin’s challenge to think differently about how to prevent eating disorders and help those with eating disorders,” said Dr. Kristin von Ranson, ICED scientific program co-chair.
Dr. Kazdin’s keynote presentation dovetails with the conference theme of innovation. Plenary sessions will feature experts discussing innovative ideas in eating disorders including: policy and strategic science, the gut microbiome, partnering with community members in conducting research, and defining recovery.
More information about the ICED 2018 program is accessible on the AED website (www.aedweb.org).
ABOUT
The Academy for Eating Disorders (AED) is an international professional association committed to 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. ###
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