VCU seeks volunteers for eating disorder focus groups

By Lorraine Cichowski and Suzanne Mazzeo

RICHMOND, Va. – Researchers at Virginia Commonwealth University studying the impact of a mother’s eating disorders on her children and her parenting are seeking volunteer mothers with current or past eating disorders to participate in focus groups.

The focus groups, which will last approximately 1.5 hours, will be held 806 W. Franklin St. on VCU’s Academic Campus in downtown Richmond. They are scheduled to begin in May.

“We have been receiving more and more calls from moms who are concerned about the effect of their own past eating disorders on their children and their parenting,” said Suzanne E. Mazzeo, Ph.D., assistant professor in VCU’s Department of Psychology and the lead investigator of the study. “We would like to better understand the concerns of these mothers and help them to protect their children from developing eating disorders.”

Although anyone can develop an eating disorder, women are most at risk. Among the most common eating disorders are bulimia, which is characterized by episodes of binge eating, self-induced vomiting and laxative abuse, and anorexia, which is characterized by starvation, compulsive exercising and often by the absence of menstrual cycles. Recent research has indicated that both bulimia and anorexia are influenced by both genetic and environmental factors.

For more information, please contact Dr. Mazzeo at (804) 827-1708, or e-mail semazzeo@vcu.edu.