Harrell & Associates Ltd. Launches Online Eating Disorder Survey to Study Social Relationships and Eating Behavior
W. Andrew Harrell, PhD, and Jennifer A. Boisvert, PhD, have launched an online eating disorder survey to investigate the factors that influence body image and eating behaviors, particularly as it relates to the effect friends and family may have. The survey is open to English-speaking men and women aged 18 to 35 located anywhere in the world.
Edmonton, Alberta, Canada (PRWEB) May 21, 2009 -- W. Andrew Harrell, PhD, researcher at the University of Alberta, and Jennifer A. Boisvert, PhD, clinical psychologist, both experts in eating and dieting problems, invite adult men and women under 35 to complete a health questionnaire regarding eating attitudes and body image distortion in an effort to gather information that will indicate the level of influence that social connections have on eating behaviors and body image.
Harrell & Associates, Ltd.
The information gathered from this eating disorder survey will also attempt to shed some light on the disparity between the obsession with thinness as the ideal body image and the reality that obesity continues to be a mounting health issue for a majority of North Americans.
"Most of the world has too little to eat; thousands starve each day. In North America, it's the opposite," Harrell said. "Obesity has become a major factor in cancer, diabetes and heart disease. In the midst of plenty, too many girls and young women suffer and die from anorexia and bulimia because they want to be thin and beautiful."
Harrell goes on to pose the question, "Is there a connection with the social circle of friends and family? Are there people in one's life affecting attitudes or habits around food and dieting? We want to know more about your social life and eating patterns."
Harrell and Boisvert offer the first site whose sole purpose is to gather information from around the world to see the implications of social networks, friends and family on eating disorder incidence and body image distortion. The questionnaire takes less than 10 minutes to complete and asks about social connections, family relationships, basic background information, and participants' eating attitudes, habits, and behaviors.
"The attitudes and habits of our friends and family could be making us too fat or too thin or too unhealthy," states Harrell, pointing out the health implications of eating attitudes held by the individual as well as by those with whom they associate.
Harrell & Associates is not allied with the dieting or food industry in any way and is committed to a scholarly endeavor to understand food issues and eating disorders. Responses to this survey are completely anonymous and only researchers participating in the study will have access to the information. Only grouped data, no individual responses, will be presented at scientific conferences or published in journals.
This study and eating survey were approved by the Institutional Review Board (REB) of the University of Alberta. A study overview is available on the site to clarify the purpose and to detail the rights of participants. To get more information or to access the survey, visit Harrell & Associates.
About Harrell & Associates:
W. Andrew Harrell, PhD, is a researcher at the University of Alberta, and Jennifer A. Boisvert, PhD, is a clinical psychologist. Both Dr. Harrell and Dr. Boisvert are experts in eating and dieting problems, and resulting body image distortion.
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