Grant: CIHR Fellowship

Disordered weight control behaviours (DWCBs), such as self-induced vomiting, unhealthy calorie restriction, and the use of non-prescribed diet pills, are common among young Canadians. Youth who engage in DWCBs are at a greater risk of developing eating disorders, obesity, and mental illness in adulthood. As a result, the prevention of DWCBs is an important avenue for improving population health. This research aims to evaluate health policies relevant to the prevention of DWCBs among youth, with implications for eating disorders, obesity, mental health, and chronic disease risk overall. To address this aim, I will conduct three studies to identify and analyse, generate recommendations for, and evaluate DWCB prevention policies in Canada. First, a literature review will be conducted to assess current DWCB prevention policies at federal and provincial levels within the areas of education, nutrition, mental health, and body weight. The review will be used to identify existing DWCB-related policies and their potential effects on population health, and identify policy gaps. To identify strategies to these gaps, Canadian leaders in the fields of eating disorders, obesity, nutrition, and mental health will be asked to provide policy recommendations. Promising policies will be evaluated using a modelling approach that allows us to estimate the impacts on rates of DWCBs, eating disorders, and obesity on youth as they age. Overall, the results of these studies will provide information on existing policies that can be used to evaluate progress on DWCBs prevention and inform concrete recommendations to address gaps. Such policies are critical for reducing the negative impacts of DWCBs on Canadian youth.