Anxiety and body-awareness as early risk factors for childhood eating problems
Anxiety and Interoception Risk for Eating Disorders in Childhood
['FUNDING_R01'] · UNIVERSITY OF LOUISVILLE · NIH-11177696
This project looks at whether childhood anxiety and how kids notice bodily sensations are linked to later unhealthy eating thoughts and behaviors in children and teens.
Quick facts
| Phase | ['FUNDING_R01'] |
|---|---|
| Study type | Nih_funding |
| Sex | All |
| Sponsor | UNIVERSITY OF LOUISVILLE (nih funded) |
| Locations | 1 site (LOUISVILLE, UNITED STATES) |
| Trial ID | NIH-11177696 on ClinicalTrials.gov |
What this research studies
If your child joins, researchers will track children over time to see who develops problematic eating behaviors or eating disorders. They will measure anxiety symptoms, how children sense and report bodily feelings (interoception), and fear-learning patterns using questionnaires and behavioral tests. The team will compare these measures to eating attitudes and behaviors as kids approach adolescence, focusing on early signs that appear by age 12. The goal is to spot patterns that come before clinical eating disorders so earlier help might be possible.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal participants are children and adolescents, especially preteens and teens around late childhood (roughly elementary to early middle-school ages) and families concerned about anxiety or eating behaviors.
Not a fit: Adults or children already receiving intensive treatment for a full-blown, chronic eating disorder may not receive direct treatment benefits from this risk-focused study.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could help identify children at higher risk for eating disorders so interventions can start earlier to prevent lasting harm.
How similar studies have performed: Prior research links anxiety to later eating problems, but applying interoception and fear-learning measures in young children is a newer and less-tested approach.
Where this research is happening
LOUISVILLE, UNITED STATES
- UNIVERSITY OF LOUISVILLE — LOUISVILLE, UNITED STATES (ACTIVE)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: LEVINSON, CHERI ALICIA — UNIVERSITY OF LOUISVILLE
- Study coordinator: LEVINSON, CHERI ALICIA
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.
Conditions: Adult-Onset Diabetes Mellitus, Anxiety Disorders