Magazine article
Why eating disorder recovery is about more than what you eat or weigh
The Conversation, Vol.22 April 2026
2026
Appears in The Conversation
Abstract
Recovering from an eating disorder can be long and complex.
Treatment typically focuses on reducing the unhelpful behaviours and thoughts that characterise these disorders. These include extreme dieting, binge eating, purging, negative body image, and – in some (but not all) cases – having a very low body weight.
But when recovery focuses on a clinical checklist of symptoms, such as reaching a healthy weight, it may ignore other important aspects of getting better.
Eating disorders are not just physical. They are complex mental health conditions that severely disrupt people’s relationship with themselves, their bodies and other people. So the psychological aspects of recovery, and the way people feel about it, also plays an important role.
Our new research shows when people’s broader wellbeing improves – such as developing a sense of self-acceptance or hope – they are more likely to report a “personal” recovery from an eating disorder, even if they still have some clinical symptoms.
Details
- Title
- Why eating disorder recovery is about more than what you eat or weigh
- Authors
- Catherine Houlihan - University of the Sunshine CoastAndrew Allen - University of the Sunshine CoastDan Fassnacht - University of the Sunshine CoastKathina Ali - University of the Sunshine Coast
- Publication details
- The Conversation, Vol.22 April 2026
- Publisher
- Conversation Media Group
- Date published
- 2026
- DOI
- 10.64628/AA.r7ptswktk
- ISSN
- 2201-5639
- Copyright note
- © The Conversation Media Group. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/).
- Organisation Unit
- School of Health - Psychology; Sexual Violence Research and Prevention Unit
- Language
- English
- Record Identifier
- 991230229602621
- Output Type
- Magazine article
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