Understanding Habits in Anorexia Nervosa: How Persistent Behaviors Keep Weight Loss Going
Official title: No Way Around But Through: Mechanisms of Persistence and Remission of Habits in Anorexia Nervosa
Funded at New York State Psychiatric Institute Dba Research Foundation for Mental Hygiene, INC · NIH-10773119 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A study with people who have anorexia nervosa aims to understand why certain eating habits persist and how they could change to support lasting recovery.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | New York State Psychiatric Institute Dba Research Foundation for Mental Hygiene, INC NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (New York, United States) |
| Project start | February 1, 2023 |
| Project end | December 31, 2029 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $555,592 |
| NIH project number | 5R01MH129350-02 |
| Project ID | NIH-10773119 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Individuals diagnosed with anorexia nervosa who have completed initial treatment and are available for behavioral and neural testing.
✕Less likely to help
Individuals without anorexia nervosa or those unable to participate in behavioral tasks or neural assessments may not benefit.
What this research studies
This project will examine how habitual behaviors and goal-directed choices influence eating patterns in anorexia nervosa. It uses specialized behavioral tasks and neural measurements to compare habit-driven versus goal-driven actions in participants. The researchers plan three experiments to map how brain circuits related to habit formation relate to persistent restriction and potential remission. By identifying the neural and behavioral signatures of persistence and remission, the study hopes to inform new approaches to support durable recovery.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: Findings could lead to new treatment strategies that better disrupt harmful eating habits and promote lasting remission.
How similar studies have gone: Prior research shows that habit formation plays a role in persistent illness, with neural indicators that can guide targeted interventions.
Where this research is happening
-
New York State Psychiatric Institute Dba Research Foundation for Mental Hygiene, INC
New York, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Steinglass, Joanna E — New York State Psychiatric Institute Dba Research Foundation for Mental Hygiene, INC
- Study coordinator: Steinglass, Joanna E
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
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Understanding how habits influence anorexia nervosa and its remission
A research study will explore how habitual eating patterns and brain systems keep anorexia nervosa going, and how these habits might change when people recover.
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Online guided self-help family-based treatment for adolescent anorexia nervosa
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A research project will test a ketogenic diet to see if it helps people who have recovered weight from anorexia nervosa by normalizing brain metabolism and reducing core eating-disorder thoughts and behaviors.
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Point-of-care RH risk tool for refeeding in anorexia nervosa
A quick, clinician-friendly risk tool helps predict who with anorexia nervosa might develop dangerous low phosphorus during hospitalization, guiding safer feeding and monitoring.
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Guided Online Self-Help Family-Based Treatment for Adolescent Anorexia Nervosa
A study tests if an online guided self-help version of family-based treatment works as well as standard treatment for teens with anorexia nervosa, in real-world clinics.
-
Online guided family-based program for adolescents with anorexia nervosa
This project offers an online guided family-based program to help adolescents with anorexia nervosa improve symptoms while using much less therapist time than standard family therapy.
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.