University Of Montana: Griz Chat: UM Eating Disorders Researcher Caitlin Martin-Wagar

Missoula MT

19 May, 2022

2:35 PM

Description

Press release from University of Montana: May 17,2022 MISSOULA – When Assistant Professor Caitlin Martin-Wagar joined the University of Montana faculty in 2021, she knew she'd be a program of one. Martin-Wagar's specialty is the research and treatment of eating disorders. When it comes to her field, fellow practitioners are rare – particularly in rural states like Montana. "There is huge gap in access to eating disorders care in rural communities," she said. "I was excited to come here, and I want to be of help." There is no doubt much work needs to be done to improve outcomes for the estimated 30 million Americans who struggle with EDs in their lifetime – a situation that became even more dire during COVID-19, where one recent study found hospital admissions for those with eating disorders rose 48%. "I wasn't surprised about the significant uptick during the pandemic," Martin-Wagar said. "Some of the sociocultural risk factors for eating disorders (for example, weight stigma) and normalized behaviors (like dieting) were already increasingly prevalent in society," she said. "Add intense uncertainty, loneliness, fear, increased time online and loss of routine to the mix, and it was unsurprising so many individuals with eating disorders relapsed, and others developed eating disorders." She entered the field of eating disorder research through her work with dialectical behavior therapy, which is a type of treatment for people with emotional issues, suicidality and difficulty regulating emotions. "There was an opening at an EDs facility provider, and I applied to work there providing DBT, cognitive behavioral therapy and family-based treatment after getting my master's degree," she explained. "Working with eating disorders felt exactly the place for me. I quickly noticed how inequities contributed to the development and maintenance of EDs." The Ohio native would go on to earn a Ph.D. in counseling psychology at the University of Akron and had just finished a postdoctoral associateship at Yale School of Medicine before joining UM's Department of Psychology, housed in the College of Humanities and Sciences. Recently, Martin-Wagar sat down with UM News to talk about EDs, dispelling myths and exploring reasons why EDs are often misdiagnosed. The good news, she said, is that eating disorders are treatable, especially if caught early, and people can go on to live meaningful, productive lives. UM News: Are there common personality traits or personas of individuals that struggle with eating disorders? Not really. Eating disorders occur in all types of people. However, we do know that certain factors, temperaments, traits and experiences can put someone at a higher risk for developing an eating disorder. For example, thin ideal internalization, expectations for thinness, perfectionism or negative impulsiveness can put someone at a higher risk for developing an eating disorder. Ultimately, complex biopsychosocial factors interact in a person to develop an eating disorder. UM News: What misconceptions might we have about EDs that are important to clarify? Another misconception that is quite dangerous is the commonly held belief that those with EDs are making a choice to have an eating disorder. Eating disorders are highly impairing and deadly disorders that no one chooses to experience. Aside of opioid overdoses, eating disorders have the highest mortality rate of all mental illnesses. Finally, a third misconception is that they are rare. It is estimated that EDs affect at least 30 million Americans at some point in their lifetimes. Though we don't know the eating disorder prevalence on our own campus, a recent survey I provided to around 400 UM undergraduates found that about 9% endorsed having been previously or currently treated for an eating disorder. The number of individuals with eating disorders is likely even higher, with the vast majority being cases that are missed. Not to mention the millions of Americans who experience disordered eating but do not meet full criteria for an eating disorder diagnosis. Our culture has a toxic relationship with food, eating and bodies, so it is somewhat normative to have some issues around eating and body image. UM News: The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and other health organizations reported increases in the number of teens, particularly girls, seeking medical care for EDs during COVID-19. What about the pandemic influenced this? Eating disorders have increased substantially during the pandemic. With people feeling more uncertainty, less control over their environments and future, and disrupted routines and structures, the general public has experienced changes in their eating patterns. With this time being particularly stressful for most people, their vulnerability to mental health problems is quite high. This is even more so the case with adolescents, who are already at high risk for developing eating disorders during that developmental period. Relapse for people with treated eating disorders has also risen during the pandemic. Despite the alarming prevalence and severity of eating disorders, waitlists and a lack of resources cause a gap in receiving vital care. UM News: Eating disorders have long been associated with females, but they also occur in males. Are the factors that lead to EDs different for men and women? Though eating disorders are more common in girls and women, the prevalence of eating disorders in boys and men is much higher than what folks expect. About one-third of those with eating disorders are men. A main difference in the presentations of eating disorders in men includes a greater focus on muscularity. Muscle-enhancing disordered behavior is more common in boys and men than in girls and women. UM News: The media, and in particular social media, have been linked with an increase in the incidence of EDs among young people. How might our online culture be contributing to weight stigma? Limiting promotion of social media accounts that encourage problematic body image and eating patterns would be helpful. However, I do think we are in for an uphill battle if weight stigma is not better acknowledged and addressed in our culture. In our society, we tend to obsess over weight, and people with higher weights face prejudice and discrimination. There are currently no federal laws in place that prohibit size or weight discrimination. We also know that weight is not a direct indicator of health, and shaming people for their weight is cruel and can result in disordered eating, avoidance of health care, reduced exercise and poorer mental and physical health. This press release was produced by University of Montana. The views expressed here are the author's own.