EDHIT Research Conference addresses equality, diversity and inclusion within eating disorders

124 people joined Bristol Health Partners Eating Disorders Health Integration Team (EDHIT) on 17 October 2025 for its annual international research conference, addressing equality, diversity and inclusion, and eating disorders.

Attendees included academic researchers, healthcare professionals, students, voluntary sector workers and a representation of those with lived experience.

The event raised awareness of the specific needs of people living with eating disorders from under-represented and minoritised groups, with a focus on gender identity and South Asian communities.

Presenters and topics

Gender identity and body image

The first speakers were Linda Lin, Ph.D., Professor of Psychology Emmanuel College, Boston, and Blue Maranto, B.S, who joined us from the USA, and discussed their gender identity and body image research.

Linda Lin’s work focused on body image and eating concerns in genderqueer adults, with compelling insights:

Comparisons between cisgender and genderqueer individuals:

• Cisgender women prioritize muscularity more; transgender women avoid it
• Potential rise in eating pathology among all individuals, not just genderqueer

Comparisons between genderqueer identities:

• Body image and eating issues more strongly affected by dysphoria for transgender women
• Similarities between transgender men and non-binary individuals
• Slight differences in muscularity and dietary restraint between non-binary categories
• No AFRID

The study revealed notable variability in body image and eating concerns across different gender identities. It also showed differentiation between AMAB (assigned male at birth) and AFAB (assigned female at birth) non-binary individuals.

The research highlights the critical importance of incorporating gender identity into patient care – particularly for those who identify as genderqueer. The findings further highlight the need to move beyond a sole focus on gender dysphoria, recognizing the broader spectrum of experiences that shape the health and wellbeing of genderqueer patients.

‘Body image and eating concerns in genderqueer adults’ – view the presentation

South Asian Body Project

Next, Dr Hannah Kate Lewis, Postdoctoral Researcher at Queen Mary University of London and University of Cambridge and Dhanisha Vora, Peer Researcher, gave a presentation on the South Asian Body Project.

The project focused on adapting The Body Project – a proven intervention to reduce body dissatisfaction and prevent eating disorders – for South Asian communities in the UK, to promote equity and prevent the deepening of ethnic health disparities.

The Body Image and Ethnicity Study identified a number of key areas of The Body Project that would benefit from a cultural adaptation.

Examples of cultural adaptations for South Asian communities:

• Examples and images will be culturally appropriate e.g. avoid terms like ‘beach body’ and include pressures regarding skin tone and shade and family events such as weddings and religious festivals
• Activities intending to ‘challenge’ body talk will be adapted so not to offend or disrespect elders in the community, so include caveats or guidance acknowledging this
• Activities intending to ‘challenge’ body talk will be adapted so not to offend or disrespect elders in the community, so include caveats or guidance acknowledging this

The study informed the co-design of a culturally adapted version, termed “The South Asian Body Project” or “Brown is Beautiful.”

The ultimate goal of the project is to build capacity among school-based mental health teams to effectively deliver culturally sensitive interventions that promote positive body image and prevent eating disorders in underrepresented populations. The next steps are piloting and disseminating the ‘The Brown is Beautiful Project’ intervention over the next year.

‘The South Asian Body Project’ – view the presentation

Lived experience panel

To conclude, there was a lived experience panel discussion. Nuha Chowdhury, Peer Support Borough Lead, East London NHS FT, and Blue Maranto, Boston USA, joined Carolyn Trippick, EDHIT Peer Co-Director, who led the panel.

Themes of the panel included the important role that lived experience has in research, barriers to participation and how to break down these barriers, top tips for researchers looking to recruit participants and the importance of embracing and promoting diversity in culture and community within research.

Feedback

EDHIT asked delegates to provide feedback and reflections on the event:

“It was great to have the balance of researcher and lived experience perspectives, and a researcher with lived experience. I like that this year continued to address underrepresented groups and it was great to hear about the impact of interventions beyond traditional ED service treatments”.

“The lived experience perspective and panel was/were so thought provoking and validating of the topics discussed”.

“I learnt about gender identity and the influence this may have on how we view our bodies”.

“I’m very early on in my career as a health psychologist, but in the future, it’ll make me consider how much to focus on gender when encountering patients or participants in research who are trans/non-binary – Blue made a point that clinicians often focus so much on it, or not at all – finding that middle ground is key”.

“It was great to hear some of my own experiences reflected and evidenced in research and to hear how lived experience can benefit the person and researchers / services”.

“Expert by experience panel was really interesting – it has made me think more about how we can meaningfully increase service users’ voices in our service development/improvement”.

“I feel more confident in asking open questions about culture and religion”.

“Thank you, incredibly informative and interesting couple of hours”