Empowered Science: Redefining eating disorder treatment through innovation and clinical care

For Cheri Levinson, professor in the Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences and the Department of Pediatrics, the fight against eating disorders began close to home. As she watched friends and family struggle with an isolating illness with nowhere to turn for help, she began to see firsthand the gaps in treatment and understanding. That early observation evolved into a career-defining mission during her PhD internship at a residential specialty center, where she encountered a heartbreaking reality: most of her patients were young women her own age, battling an illness that the medical community seemed ill-equipped to treat.

"None of this seemed right to me," Levinson said. "Young people were losing their lives to this illness with treatments that were suboptimal. This experience set me off on the path that has defined my team’s work to create better treatments that work for everyone with an eating disorder.”

Despite the seriousness of eating disorders – among the deadliest of psychiatric illnesses – research funding has historically lagged behind other major health conditions.  In 2023, eating disorder research received approximately $55 million in funding from the National Institutes of Health (NIH), compared to $7.2 billion for cancer research, $2.2 billion for obesity, $2.2 billion for diabetes, $1.6 billion for substance use and $2.7-3.2 billion for HIV. For a condition already burdened by societal stigma, limited funding has slowed progress in developing and expanding effective treatments. 

In the face of these challenges, Levinson has emerged as a powerhouse of progress. She is now among the most well-funded NIH researchers studying eating disorders, a distinction that has allowed her to build the University of Louisville’s Eating Anxiety Treatment (EAT) Lab.

The EAT Lab is dedicated to improving the lives of those with eating disorders through innovative, high-quality clinical care and advocacy. Its mission is to not only develop more effective treatments, but also to alleviate barriers to accessing high-quality treatment, prevention and research for underserved populations.

Currently, the lab is focused on personalizing treatments for eating disorders and understanding why eating disorders are increasingly affecting children and adolescents. To advance this work, Levinson is leveraging predictive technology, including "passive sensing" through wearable devices. These tools allow researchers to collect and monitor real-time data that may help predict and prevent eating disorder behaviors and suicide risk before they escalate.

The lab is preparing to launch the largest clinical trial to date of a digital treatment for eating disorders. With current traditional treatments only showing a 45% success rate, Levinson’s goal is to improve outcomes by integrating new technologies and precision-based approaches to care.

Despite these ambitious research goals, Levinson’s daily motivation remains deeply human and rooted in social justice. “I can do all the best science in the world and create the best treatments that could help so many people, but what does it matter if people can’t access them?" Levinson said. "Part of the solution to eating disorders is advocating for a more equitable, just world where everyone can access the care they need.”

That advocacy means elevating the voices of individuals who have been historically overlooked in eating disorder research and treatment. Levinson works to ensure that clinical practices and studies are inclusive and reflective of the communities she aims to serve.

As a mother of three daughters, Levinson’s work also carries a broader hope for cultural change. She envisions a future that places less emphasis on weight and appearance and more value on the inherent worth of every individual. “True progress requires dismantling the ‘diet culture’ that reinforces these illnesses,” Levinson said. 

For her, the work extends beyond advancing research. It is about reshaping systems, expanding access and building a healthier, more just, world for future generations.