On supporting science journalism
If you're enjoying this article, consider supporting our award-winning journalism by subscribing. By purchasing a subscription you are helping to ensure the future of impactful stories about the discoveries and ideas shaping our world today.
More than 10 million Americans will suffer from an eating disorder at some point in their lives. Unfortunately, treating anorexia, bulimia, binge-eating and other disorders is extremely challenging. As journalist Shannon Firth details in the March/April issue of Scientific American MIND, some researchers argue that to overcome these disorders, we must look more closely at the brain’s role in these conditions, specifically how its misfiring may lead to inappropriate responses to food. Physician Laura Hill of The Center for Balanced Living in Columbus, Ohio, is among these advocates, and in this TEDx video she walks through how a person with anorexia responds to food differently on a biological level.