Eating disorders can make hunger and fullness cues confusing or unreliable. Hormones like ghrelin and leptin, which normally regulate appetite, become disrupted by restriction, bingeing, or purging. Hunger may show up in ways beyond a rumbling stomach - from shakiness and lightheadedness to food preoccupation, irritability, or trouble concentrating. Recovery involves relearning how to notice and trust these signals.

Eating disorders affect people of all genders and sexualities, but research shows LGBTQ+ communities are at higher risk. Factors like gender dysphoria, minority stress, and barriers to affirming care all play a role. Understanding these unique challenges is key to providing the support and treatment that LGBTQ+ people deserve.

When The Biggest Loser first aired, it captured audiences with dramatic before-and-after photos and emotional weigh-ins. But behind the spectacle was a darker reality; one of exploitation, stigma, and long-term harm. Drawing on my own experience working in reality television, I explore the ways the show failed to protect participants, the lasting damage of extreme weight loss, and what it reveals about how society views body size and dignity.

In a world where AI-generated models grace fashion magazines and celebrities sell face-shaping shapewear, the pressure to meet impossible beauty ideals is more intense than ever. This blog explores two disturbing new trends, and why they matter for body image and mental health.

A high school student led a heartfelt initiative to create handwritten cards of support for people currently in eating disorder treatment. With help from friends and support from school staff, these messages of hope and compassion are now being shared with clients in recovery.

With weight loss drug Wegovy now available in New Zealand pharmacies, many people are asking whether this is a step forward for health - or just another way our culture reinforces the belief that thinner is better. In this blog, clinical psychologist Dr Eve Hermansson-Webb explores the complex reasons people turn to medications like Wegovy, the potential risks for those vulnerable to eating disorders, and the bigger systemic failures being overlooked in the rush to shrink bodies.