NourishED Programs & Events
About NourishED
NourishED Research Foundation (NRFi) is a tax-exempt 501c3 nonprofit organization dedicated to increasing eating disorder awareness, prevention, and treatment options, as well as addressing clinical and lived experiences related to eating disorders and other social justice issues. Explore the mental health resources and research that inspired our foundation!
NourishED Research
One third of adults will experience binge eating disorder, yet 95% go undetected, undiagnosed, and untreated. Current treatments face many access barriers, with success rates below 45% and recurrence rates exceeding 65%. Stigma, miseducation, and discrimination contribute to these sociocultural and healthcare issues, making it crucial to promote eating disorder awareness. By utilizing mental health resources and supporting organizations like the NourishED Research Foundation, we can work towards better understanding and treatment options. Learn more here!
NourishED Research Summit
NourishED Mindfulness Skills Course
The NourishED Research Summit offers a three-day virtual conference experience for whole-health researchers, clinicians, activists, advocates, policymakers, and YOU! This event emphasizes eating disorder awareness and provides essential mental health resources. Presentations will cover topics such as neurobiology, mental health, trauma and adversity, public health policy, and treatment innovation for eating disorders -- for everyone. Join us in supporting the mission of the NourishED Research Foundation!
NourishED Mindfulness Skills Course
Mental Health Resources (Blog, YouTube, Summit)
NourishED Mindfulness Skills Course
The NourishED Mindfulness Skills Course, offered by the NourishED Research Foundation, is a 12-session program focused on mindfulness available in two online formats: (1) live/group sessions and (2) asynchronous (self-paced). This course is fantastic for providers interested in enhancing their knowledge of mindfulness-based interventions and for individuals seeking non-clinical support for mental health. By participating, you also contribute to eating disorder awareness. All courses are donation-based. Learn More & Join Us!
Mental Health Screening Tools
Mental Health Resources (Blog, YouTube, Summit)
Mental Health Resources (Blog, YouTube, Summit)
Binge Eating Disorder (BED) has a prevalence of 20-30%, yet it goes 95% undetected and undiagnosed. Furthermore, it shows a 90% comorbidity with various mental health issues such as adversity, trauma, substance abuse, anxiety, depression, PTSD, and suicidality. Many individuals use binge eating as a coping mechanism or to mask untreated symptoms. For those seeking help, the NourishED Research Foundation offers free screening tools and valuable mental health resources to promote eating disorder awareness.
Mental Health Resources (Blog, YouTube, Summit)
Mental Health Resources (Blog, YouTube, Summit)
Mental Health Resources (Blog, YouTube, Summit)
At NourishED, part of the NourishED Research Foundation, we provide free and low-cost resources aimed at fostering eating disorder awareness and empowering patients, providers, and everyday individuals. Our mental health resources, including screening tools, a blog, a YouTube Channel, social media accounts, and Mindfulness Skills Courses, are designed to help you access and support your inner healing potential, putting your health into your nourishing hands.
NourishED Research Projects
NourishED Research Inernship Program
NourishED Research Projects
All NourishED Research Foundation projects share a common goal: to enhance eating disorder awareness and improve the collective understanding, clear-seeing (Prajna), healing, and lived experiences of clinical and nonclinical adults facing binge eating disorder and other challenges related to health disparity and self-efficacy, while providing valuable mental health resources.
Publications & Impact
NourishED Research Inernship Program
NourishED Research Projects
Thanks to the support of our community, we have been able to make a significant impact over the years in raising eating disorder awareness. This occurs at many levels, including our high-impact-factor publications from the NourishED Research Foundation, which help to shape ongoing research and clinical care while providing vital mental health resources. Learn more about NourishED publications.
NourishED Research Inernship Program
NourishED Research Inernship Program
Participate in NourishED Research (Participant Page)
Our internship program equips aspiring researchers with the knowledge, training, mentorship, and experience needed to drive innovation in conscious, whole-health research. This initiative also emphasizes eating disorder awareness and provides access to vital mental health resources. Competencies include scientific inquiry and literacy, as well as preclinical, clinical, and contemplative approaches to research and care, all in support of the mission of the NourishED Research Foundation.
Participate in NourishED Research (Participant Page)
Participate in NourishED Research (Participant Page)
Participate in NourishED Research (Participant Page)
We prioritize research that highlights the importance of eating disorder awareness, focusing on the 95% of adults with binge eating disorder who never receive a formal diagnosis or self-recognition, the 60-90% who do not pursue or receive standard treatment, and individuals from all race, ethnic, religious, sex, gender, and socio-economic backgrounds (Bray et al., 2022, 2025). This aligns with the goals of the NourishED Research Foundation, which aims to enhance mental health resources for those affected.
Support NourishED Research (Donate)
Participate in NourishED Research (Participant Page)
Support NourishED Research (Donate)
Your donations help us continue our mission of eating disorder awareness and support our community by providing essential mental health resources. Every dollar counts and will make a difference in the lives of those we serve. Donations support our Research Internship Program, Publication Fees, the NourishED Research Summit, overhead costs, and more!
NRFi Research: Binge Eating Disorder
What is Binge Eating Disorder?
🔎 Binge eating disorder (BED) is a mental health diagnosis, recognized in the APA's Diagnostic Manual (DSM-5/TR)(1). Raising eating disorder awareness is crucial for understanding this condition.
🩺 Binge eating disorder is characterized by:
✔️ Rapidly eating objectively large amounts of food ("More than others would in similar situations").
("Past the point of being uncomfortably full").
✔️ Associated with loss of control and distress.
✔️ Accompanied by feelings of guilt or shame.
✔️ Without compensation (e.g., purging).
✔️ Occurs in ~2-hr windows, weekly, for ≥ 3 months.
📈 22% of adults will experience BED in their lifetime (2).
❤️🩹 90% of folks with BED experience trauma, substance use, anxiety, depression, obesity, diabetes, and/or heart disease that significantly impair quality of life and often prompt binge eating as ways to mask or cope (3,4,5,6,7,8). It's essential to seek mental health resources to address these underlying issues. Organizations like the NourishED Research Foundation provide valuable support and information for those affected.
Binge Eating Disorder Treatment
Standard guideline treatments for binge eating disorder (BED) include (9): 🧠 Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT). 💊 Pharmacotherapy (antidepressants, Vyvanse). 🥗 Behavioral weight loss.
Standard treatments have (6-9): 🔎 Low treatment rates (38.3%–43.6%). 🔎 High recurrence rates (49%–64%). 🔎 High rates of treatment dissatisfaction. 🔎 High rates of early discontinuation of care.
Interventions with increasing use & support (6-8,10) include Dialectic Behavioral Therapy (DBT), 🧘♀️ Mindfulness-Based Interventions (MBIs), 🤝 Community-Based Approaches (Twelve Step), 📚 Guided Self-Help Approaches (G-SH), 📱 Virtual Platforms (Noom, Brightline), and 💉 GLP-1 Inhibitors (Ozempic, Wygovi).
Studies find that 55 - 95% of individuals with BED (3-8) face significant barriers to treatment: ❌ 95% don't know they have an eating disorder. ❌ 95% never receive a formal diagnosis. ❌ 95% don't recognize the need for treatment. ❌ 56% - 87% never access standard treatment. ❌ 85% lack access to healthcare. Increasing **eating disorder awareness** is crucial, as many do not utilize available **mental health resources**. Organizations like the **NourishED Research Foundation** are working to address these gaps.
The "SWAG" Stereotype in BED
🚨 The "SWAG" stereotype ascribes all eating disorders to Skinny, White, Affluent, Girls with food restraint (3-4,7-8). 🚨
The SWAG demographic:
🔎 Saturates treatment-seeking populations.
🔎 Saturates research samples that:
🤔 Recruit from treatment centers.
🤔 Inform our understanding of binge eating disorder and possible treatment solutions, which is crucial for eating disorder awareness.
🔎 Represents <5% of folks with binge eating.
🚨 This dangerous stereotype results in a misunderstanding about what binge eating disorder is and contributes to under-screening and low treatment success rates, highlighting the need for better mental health resources (3-4,7-8). Additionally, organizations like the NourishED Research Foundation are vital in addressing these issues. 🚨
Put the SWAG Stereotype to BED
🤔 Did you know ... that (3-4, 7-8):
🏳️🌈 BIPOC & LGBTQ2+ individuals face 2- & 3x higher risks and prevalence rates of binge eating disorder (BED) compared to their WCHA* peers.
🛒 Approximately 52% of food pantry users qualify for an eating disorder diagnosis, with binge eating disorder being the most common.
⚖️ Food insecurity and reliance on government assistance can increase the risk for binge eating disorder by 2- and 3-fold.
❤️🩹 Adverse childhood and lifetime experiences, including trauma, abuse, neglect, and PTSD, are notably prevalent among those with BED, further elevating their risk.
🔎 These findings indicate a different pathology than what is typically associated with the
SWAG Stigma in Healthcare
🚨 The SWAG stereotype and other forms of stigma have serious repercussions for binge eating disorder diagnosis and treatment, highlighting the need for increased eating disorder awareness.
🏳️🌈 BIPOC and LGBTQ2+ folks face significant challenges in accessing mental health resources:
• ❌ Experience 2- and 3-times higher risk and prevalence rates for binge eating disorder (BED).
• ❌ Are 50% less likely to be screened for an eating disorder.
• ❌ Are 50% less likely to receive a diagnosis or care.
• ❌ Are represented in less than 10% of research samples, emphasizing the importance of organizations like the NourishED Research Foundation in addressing these disparities.
Binge Eating Disorder is a Social Justice Issue
🌱 At NourishED Research Foundation, we view research as just the first step in promoting eating disorder awareness. 🌱🤝 We place equal value on translating research findings into clinical practice, ensuring that mental health resources are effectively utilized. 🤝🎥 Check out this 30-min keynote presentation our Director, Brenna Bray, PhD, gave at a recent International Conference on Alternative Medicine and Integrative Healthcare (AMIH2025).
NourishED Mission: Your Health in Your Hands
The NourishED Research Foundation (NRFi) is dedicated to catalyzing breakthroughs in eating disorder awareness and understanding, as well as improving access to mental health resources. Our focus extends to prevention and enhancing clinical and lived experiences related to eating disorders and other health issues, including health self-efficacy, health equity, and health disparity. At NourishED, we aim to put your health in YOUR hands.
NRFi Research Priorities I
At the NourishED Research Foundation, we prioritize community-based research that identifies and tests new treatment options for eating disorder awareness. These options are: free or low cost, remote or community-based, socioculturally and demographically sensitive and inclusive, non-stigmatizing, trauma-informed, empirically and biomedically sound, and easily accessible mental health resources for those in need.
NRFi Research Priorities II
Our research conducted by the NourishED Research Foundation emphasizes the importance of eating disorder awareness for the 50-95% of adults with eating disorders who: never receive a formal diagnosis (95%), lack self-recognition (95%), are not represented in research (90%), lack access to healthcare (85%), lack access to standard treatment (85%), fail to respond to conventional treatments (65%), and experience trauma, stigmatization, and invalidation, including from healthcare professionals (80-95%). (See supporting citations in Bray et al., 2022-5).
Hi there!
Welcome to NourishED! We're a 501(c)(3) non-profit research organization that uses uses research to improve awareness, prevention, treatment outcomes, and lived experiences of eating disorders and other mental health disparities. We're so glad you're here!