News
2024-04-09
Take me out!
Today we held our doctoral student meeting outside in the Friedenspark. A good place to give your thoughts plenty of space.
2024-03-31
Happy Easter!
We wish everyone a happy Easter and a few enjoyable days off.
2024-03-27
Look who's back!
Our rabbits radiate peace and tranquillity on the yard again. Great to have you here!
2024-03-07
Tag der gesunden Ernährung!
Today is Healthy Diet Day in Germany. Although dietary behavior is different from eating behavior, it is closely linked to it. In the case of eating disorders such as binge-eating disorder or ARFID, it is often a goal of treatment to establish a healthy diet and healthy eating behavior. Let's take this forward!
2024-02-13
Paper alert!
Our MD student Simon has published his first paper! Many congratulations! He has comprehensively analyzed the Weight Bias Internalization Scale in a sample of patients seeking obesity surgery. It was shown that a new 10-item version is superior to the 11-item version. Give it a look!
Schraven, S., Hübner, C., Eichler, J., Mansfeld, T., Sander, J., Seyfried, F., ... & Hilbert, A. (2024). Psychometric properties of the WBIS/-M in a representative prebariatric sample–evidence for an improved 10-item version. Obesity Facts, Advance online publication.
2024-02-12
Paper alert!
Congratulations to our MD student Alexandra for the publication of her paper! Alexandra conducted a moderated mediation model to examine whether depressive symptoms in patients seeking obesity surgery are explained by perceived teasing and weight bias internalization, and the role of shape and weight concerns. Check it out!
2024-01-28
On Spotify!
We have a new listening tip on Spotify! Not a brand new song, not an audio book, but a new podcast episode on picky eating, which also featured Ricarda. Have a listen!
2024-01-19
At the festival!
Yesterday some of our PhD and MD students attended the 17th Leipzig Research Festival for Life Sciences, a platform for young scientists to present their research. Danielle and Hannah presented their work on treatment mechanisms in cognitive behavioral therapy for binge-eating disorder as well as parental psychopathology and expressed emotion in ARFID. Great job, you two!
2024-01-16
See you on Instagram!
Have you already seen? We are expanding our social media presence! Now you can also find us on Instagram. Initially with a German page, but soon also in English. We are excited!
2024-01-03
Delighted for 2024!
We wish everyone involved in our research, all our participants and patients, our cooperation partners, readers, and students a great, happy, and peaceful New Year!
Keep being curious!
2023-12-27
Against weight discrimination!
Even at this time of year, we need to draw attention to an important topic: Weight discrimination. Anja has supported the #FettPolitisch campaign of the Society against weight discrimination. Her comment in English: "Weight-based discrimination is harmful. What we need is respect for people regardless of weight or appearance." Check it out on facebook or Instagram!
2023-12-25
Merry Christmas!
We wish everyone a very merry and peaceful Christmas! Have a wonderful few days with your families and loved ones.
2023-12-13
Pre-Christmas breakfast!
Today we combined our team meeting with a joint breakfast and enjoyed delicious homemade dips and spreads. As a highlight, we threw dice for books we had brought with us. We had everything from world literature to a travel guide. Maybe it will become someone's next favorite book.
2023-11-29
Welcome, Elizabeth!
For just over a week we have been welcoming a great visiting scientist. Elizabeth Schneider from the APC Microbiome Ireland, University College Cork, will be joining us in our working group for a few more weeks. We are very happy that you are with us, Elizabeth, and hope that we can show you our work, learn from each other and create new collaborations.
We would like to take this opportunity to congratulate you on winning the Health and Behavior International Collaborative (HIBIC) award! Very well deserved!
2023-11-17
In the media!
The night eating syndrome has received a lot of media attention in recent weeks. Anja gave an interview on this topic for the German Press Agency, which was met with great interest. You can find some examples here: Geo Magazine, Bild, and FOCUS online. Have a read!
2023-11-15
Meeting colleagues
Today, we had a workshop with the Counseling Center for Eating Disorders Leipzig [Beratungszentrum Ess-Störungen Leipzig] (BEL). In addition to the important exchange of clinical experiences, we received inspiration for the joint care and networking of patients with eating disorders. Thank you very much for your visit!
2023-11-01
What an autumn of publications...
... for our PhD student Sarah and our medical doctoral student Jytte! No fewer than 3 papers in the context of EEG and fNIRS neurofeedback research were published between the end of September and the end of October. Congratulations for the fantastic work!
The papers present psychological predictors for fNIRS neurofeedback in adults with BED, associations between offline and online regulation success during fNIRS neurofeedback as well as neurofeedback strategies and their impact on regulation success for EEG neurofeedback in BED. Check it out!
Rösch, S. A., Schmidt, R., & Hilbert, A. (2023). Predictors of neurofeedback treatment outcome in binge-eating disorder: An exploratory study. International Journal of Eating Disorders, 10.1002/eat.24062. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1002/eat.24062
Rösch, S. A., Schmidt, R., Wimmer, J., Lührs, M., Ehlis, A. C., & Hilbert, A. (2023). Mechanisms underlying fNIRS-neurofeedback over the prefrontal cortex for participants with binge-eating disorder. Clinical Neurophysiology, 156, 57–68. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.clinph.2023.09.011
Wimmer, J., Rösch, S.A., Schmidt, R., & Hilbert, A. (2023). Neurofeedback strategies in binge-eating disorder as predictors of EEG-neurofeedback regulation success. Frontiers in Human Neuroscience, 17, 1234085. doi: 10.3389/fnhum.2023.1234085
2023-10-27
Paper news!
Our medical doctoral student Luise has published her paper on age-specific characteristics in children and adolescents with ARFID! Congratulations! The paper offers many new insights into early factors and conditions (e.g., around birth) that may be associated with ARFID and its onset. Check it out!
Brosig, L., Düplois, D., Hiemisch, A., Kiess, W., Hilbert, A., Schlensog-Schuster, F., & Schmidt, R. (2023). Birth-related, medical, and diagnostic characteristics in younger versus older children with avoidant/restrictive food intake disorder (ARFID). J Eat Disord, 11, 190. https://doi.org/10.1186/s40337-023-00908-7
2023-10-17
Rabbit news!
We have really cute neighbors. Or hungry ones? Or scary ones?
2023-09-29
Congress and award news!
In the last few days we were at the first joint congress of the German Society for Obesity (DAG) and the German Society for Eating Disorders (DGESS) in Gera. Besides interesting topics, for example app-supported therapy programs for eating disorders, and exciting debates and discussions, Anja and Ricarda each gave a presentation. Finally, Ricarda was awarded 2 prizes for her research: the Hilde Bruch Prize of the DGESS for her research on binge-eating disorder and ARFID, and the Psychosomatics Prize of the DAG for her work on obesity. Congratulations 🙂
Here you can find some impressions of the congress (photos partly by DAG/Franziska und Tom Werner).
2023-09-22
Congress news!
Today, Danielle gave her first presentation at the European Council on Eating Disorders (ECED) in Leiden! She presented our trEATsmart mobile application for app-supported CBT for obesity and binge-eating disorder.
Congratulations, Danielle - have a great and inspiring congress time!
2023-09-14
Published!
As you may have already seen, the paper by our MD student Dominik has been published (open access). Congratulation!
Düplois, D., Brosig, L., Hiemisch, A., Kiess, W., Hilbert, A., Schlensog-Schuster, F., & Schmidt, R. (2023). Distribution and clinical comparison of restrictive feeding and eating disorders using ICD-10 and ICD-11 criteria. International Journal of Eating Disorders, 56, 1717–1729. https://doi.org/10.1002/eat.23994
2023-09-13
Anja on the radio!
Here you can find the link to an interview on obesity in children and adolescents Anja gave for the radio show WDR 5 - Quarks Research and more. Have a listen!
2023-09-13
Look!
Excitedly we received our little pottery works of art. Impressive, isn't it? But, of course, we remain faithful to research and continue pottery as a hobby.
2023-09-11
Congress news!
Anja attended the 29th Annual Meeting of the Eating Disorder Research Society (EDRS) in Boston, met dear colleagues, and returned with valuable research impulses. Here you see Anja presenting her study on multivariate trajectories of eating and weight disorders in adolescents in the session of top-rated abstracts. For this study, she collaborated with colleagues from the LIFE Child study, a large population-based study on civilization diseases.
Hilbert, A., Poulain, T., Hiemisch, A., & Kiess, W. (2023). Multivariate trajectories of eating and weight disorder symptoms in 10-17 year old children and adolescents. Oral presentation of the Top-rated abstract at the 29th Annual Meeting of the Eating Disorders Research Society, September 2023, Boston, USA
2023-08-24
From paper to pottery!
Our team had a great afternoon at Werk 2! The pottery experience had something meditative - like writing papers. Check out the amazing clay works that were created (they are not finished yet, we will reveal the final results soon).
2023-08-08
In the media!
Maybe you read one or the other newspaper in the last weeks and came across an interview with Anja Hilbert? In fact, there have been a number of media reports with Anja lately. Under media coverage you can find an overview of our media appearances on topics such as parenting and dealing with childhood eating disorders and obesity, semaglutide, or binge eating. Enjoy!
2023-07-31
XXIXth Annual Meeting of the EDRS: Top-rated abstract!
We are delighted that our abstract on multivariate trajectories of eating and weight disorder symptoms in 10-17-year olds by Anja Hilbert and colleagues is among the top-rated abstracts at this year's congress of the Eating Disorder Research Society in Boston. The results will be presented on September 9. Hope to see you there!
2023-07-05
Prof. Guido Frank in Leipzig!
Why does my child not eat? Prof. Guido Frank explored this fundamental question and gave us an impressive insight into his neurophysiological research!
Thank you very much. We hope to have you back here soon.
2023-07-02
Keep calm!
Look how beautiful our view from the office window can be. The bunnies of the psychotherapy ward spread a lot of calmness.
2023-06-20
New paper!
Congratulations to our PhD student Sonja. In her study, recently published in Obesity Facts, she examined how the preference for obesity surgery changed over 1 year of behavioral weight-loss treatment (BWLT), and what patient factors were associated with these changes. As an important clinical implication, the paper showed that it is not less % total body weight loss that was related to receiving obesity surgery in patients with a preference for obesity surgery, but higher initial and final BMI before/after BWLT. Much pleasure reading!
Sauerbrey, S. E., Schmidt, R., Schlögl, H., Blüher, M., Dietrich, A., & Hilbert, A. (2023). Patient-related predictors for seeking and receiving obesity surgery. Obesity Facts, 10.1159/000531353. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1159/000531353
2023-06-09
Ready for the Long Night of the Sciences?
We are! As part of the Long Night of Science in Leipzig on June 23, we will give an interesting talk "Mit dem Smartphone app-nehmen!?" at 6:30pm and 7:30pm in lecture hall 9 of Leipzig University (Universitätsstraße 3, 04109 Leipzig). Further information about the free event can be found here. Hope to see you!
2023-05-26
Paper alert!
The paper of our PhD student Dominik and colleagues is out today (as open access). The paper is about the new ICD-11 criteria for restrictive eating disorders and their effects on the distribution and clinical characteristics of restrictive feeding and eating disorders in ICD-10 and ICD-11. Check it out!
Düplois, D., Brosig, L., Hiemisch, A., Kiess, W., Hilbert, A., Schlensog-Schuster, F., & Schmidt, R. (2023). Distribution and clinical comparison of restrictive feeding and eating disorders using ICD-10 and ICD-11 criteria. International Journal of Eating Disorders, 10.1002/eat.23994. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1002/eat.23994
2023-04-23
In the newspaper!
If you open the "Welt am Sonntag" today, you can read a contribution by Anja Hilbert on the opportunities and challenges of semaglutide. Worth reading!
2023-04-20
Presentation announcement!
The 2nd Deutscher Psychotherapie Kongress (German Psychotherapy Congress) is close! Anja Hilbert and Sarah Rösch will represent us on the topic of neurofeedback for binge-eating disorder in Berlin.
The following oral presentations will be held on Mai 11th, 8.30 - 10.00am:
- Neurofeedback für die Binge-Eating-Störung: Ein exploratorischer randomisiert-kontrollierter Vergleich von funktioneller Nahinfrarotspektroskopie und Elektroenzephalographie by Anja Hilbert, Ricarda Schmidt, David Petroff, Christiane Prettin, Ann-Christine Ehlis, Michael Lührs, Sarah Rösch
- Predictors of Neurofeedback Treatment Outcome in BED: An Exploratory Study by Sarah A. Rösch, Ricarda Schmidt, Anja Hilbert
See you in Berlin!
2023-03-22
Changing perspectives!
We would love to book this fantastic seminar room more often! #Paulinum P901
2023-03-17
Main talk by Anja Hilbert at the DGVT congress!
Today, Anja Hilbert gives an invited talk on psychotherapy for binge-eating disorder at the 32nd Congress for Clinical Psychology, Psychotherapy, and Consulting of the German Society for Behavior Therapy in Berlin!
2023-03-16
Presentation announcement!
Today, the 13th Vienna Congress on Eating Disorders starts (hybrid)! Tomorrow morning, Ricarda will give a presentation on "Avoidant/restrictive food intake disorder (ARFID), rumination disorder, and pica". You should not miss it!
2023-02-17
Not in the park, but in the dark!
Here are some impressions from our mini golf indoor training last week.
Congratulations to Anja Hilbert for the unchallenged victory.
2023-02-08
Virtual press briefing!
"Semaglutide & co. – diabetes injections for weight loss?" Anja Hilbert and two research colleagues answered questions on this topic in a virtual press briefing. Take a look at the fascinating article and video!
2023-01-25
We are busy. Here we are discussing during our weekly team meeting.
2023-01-02
NEW YEAR GREETINGS!
We wish all patients, colleagues, cooperation partners, and interested readers a healthy and happy new year. We are very excited about our current and upcoming research projects.
New year - new publication: Here you can check out our recent publication by Lars Julius Breinker et al. who examined predictors for success and adherence in a multimodal obesity treatment for children and adolescents. They found that greater treatment success was predicted by a younger age, treatment initiation before the COVID-19 pandemic, and greater eating disorder psychopathology. For treatment adherence, only treatment initiation before the COVID-19 pandemic significantly predicted treatment adherence.
2022-12-24
We say goodbye to a short Christmas break and wish everyone a merry, peaceful, and blessed Christmas.
PS: The photo shows the wonderful Christmas tree in our Leipzig Mädlerpassage.
2022-12-02
New paper!
Here you can check out our new paper on food-induced EEG activity in children with overweight. The pilot study demonstrated elevated central beta band activity in children with overweight or obesity when viewing high-calorie food stimuli and attractive non-food stimuli compared to children with normal weight, but no differences for low-calorie stimuli were seen. The results mirror evidence found for adults and indicate that beta band activity may be a valuable target for neuromodulatory interventions in children with overweight or obesity.
2022-11-22
The Süddeutsche Zeitung published an article about children's eating habits and interviewed experts in the field of eating behaviors and disorders in children. Here you can see what Anja Hilbert recommended (article in German). Check it out!
2022-10-14
RTL was our guest and interviewed and filmed us about EEG neurofeedback in binge-eating disorder. The result are 3 interesting minutes - you can watch them here in the TV program RTL Punkt 12.
2022-10-04
Our PhD student Lars Julius Breinker and colleagues published the results on the efficacy of a 12-month multimodal obesity treatment in routine care in children and adolescents aged 2-17 years. The study showed significant improvement in age- and sex-specific body mass index, especially in treatment responders, but highlighted the need for further psychotherapeutic interventions. Read the paper here.
2022-09-15
Our study on EEG neurofeedback for patients with binge-eating disorder by Marie Blume and colleagues was featured in the Apothekenumschau. Check it out!
2022-09-01
Out of the office - let's play mini golf!
We had a nice team day on the mini golf course. Here are some impressions! By the way: We did not miss the putt. The ball missed the hole (mostly) 😀
2022-08-11
New paper published!
Anja and her team analyzed data (N = 748) of our PRAC study on whether eating disorders and nonnormative eating behaviors are prospectively associated with weight loss and health-related quality of life (HRQOL) up to 6 years following obesity surgery. Interested? Check out the highly intersting results on JAMA Network Open. (Open Access Article)
2022-07-01
New study website launched!
We are excited to announce the launch of www.treatsmart.de presenting our SmartBWL study. Check it out!
2022-06-09
New paper!
Andrea Hartmann and colleagues examined pica and rumination disorder - two new diagnostic entities in the DSM-5 and ICD-11. Although previously known and classified as feeding disorders in children, both conditions can occur in adulthood. The paper presents prevalence rates and the clinical significance of pica and rumination disorder in adults. Check it out!
Hartmann, A. S., Zenger, M., Glaesmer, H., Strauß, B., Brähler, E., de Zwaan, M., & Hilbert, A. (2022). Prevalence of pica and rumination behaviours in adults and associations with eating disorder and general psychopathology: findings form a population-based study. Epidemiology and Psychiatric Sciences, 31, e40. https://doi.org/10.1017/S2045796022000208
2022-05-23
Handbook published!
Anja Hilbert and Brunna Tuschen-Caffier published their new handbook for binge-eating disorder. The book is addressed to individuals with BED and their relatives and provides initial support, points of contact, and opportunities for self-help to overcome BED. At the same time, it informs about the causes, manifestations, and development of the disorder and can thus also serve as an adjunct to treatment.
Tuschen-Caffier, B. & Hilbert, A. (Eds.) (2022). Ratgeber Binge-Eating-Störung. Informationen für Betroffene und Angehörige. [Handbook on binge-eating disorder]. Göttingen: Hogrefe, ISBN 978-3-80-172225-8.
2022-05-12
Handbook published!
Our new clinical handbook on eating disorders in children and adolescents was published! Check it out!
Herpertz-Dahlmann, B. & Hilbert, A. (Eds.) (2022). Essstörungen bei Kindern und Jugendlichen [Eating Disorders in Children and Adolescents]. Stuttgart: Kohlhammer, ISBN 978-3-17-039202-1.
2022-04-29
New paper!
Anja Hilbert and colleagues published their validation study on their new Hedonic Overeating-Questionnaire (HEDO-Q) today! The HEDO-Q is a brief six-item questionnaire assessing central behavioral aspects of food reward and control, supported by current neuroscientific research: Wanting, liking, and dyscontrol. This first evaluation in a representative population sample indicates good psychometric properties of the HEDO-Q!
Hilbert, A., Witte, V., Meule, A., Braehler, E., & Kliem, S. (2022). Development of the Hedonic Overeating-Questionnaire (HEDO-Q). Nutrients, 14, 1865. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu14091865
2022-04-27
EEG neurofeedback for binge-eating disorder in the media!
Our study by Blume et al. (2021) attracted great interest in the world wide web, as you can see here.
2022-04-02
taz article on our work!
Our work on eating disorders was featured in the German newspaper taz today:
Kampf gegen den eigenen Körper [Fighting one’s own body]. taz, April 2, 2022, p. 4
2022-01-09
A new PhD was born: Janina finished her PhD about risk factors of overweight an obesity from the prenatal period to childhood and the preceding determinants of those risk factors. She and her colleagues examined the following key points on the basis of the LIFE Child longitudinal cohort: influence of maternal risk factors on maternal depressive symptoms and stress during pregnancy; influence of maternal depressive symptoms and stress during pregnancy on gestational age at birth and child BMI from birth up to 2 years of age; and stability, continuity, and bi-directional associations of parental feeding practices and child BMI during childhood.
Interested? Have a look at the published papers!
Eichler, J., Schmidt, R., Hiemisch, A., Kiess, W., & Hilbert, A. (2019). Gestational weight gain, physical activity, sleep problems, substance use, and food intake as proximal risk factors of stress and depressive symptoms during pregnancy. BMC Pregnancy and Childbirth, 19(1), 175. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12884-019-2328-1
Eichler, J., Schmidt, R., Poulain, T., Hiemisch, A., Kiess, W., & Hilbert, A. (2021). Maternal depressive symptoms and stress during pregnancy as predictors of gestational age at birth and standardized body mass index from birth up to 2 years of age. BMC Pregnancy and Childbirth, 21, 635. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12884-021-04111-x
Eichler, J., Schmidt, R., Poulain, T., Hiemisch, A., Kiess, W., & Hilbert, A. (2019). Stability, continuity, and bi‑directional associations of parental feeding practices and standardized child body mass index in children from 2 to 12 years of age. Nutrients, 11(8), 1751. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu11081751
January 2022
New paper!
Our new paper by Schmidt and Hilbert was published. Ricarda Schmidt and Anja Hilbert investigated predictors for treatment success in adolescents with binge-eating disorder. They found that higher dietary restraint and weight or shape concern predicted greater improvements in eating disorder psychopathology in cognitive-behavioral therapy, similar to findings in adults with binge-eating disorder.
Schmidt, R., & Hilbert, A. (2022). Predictors of symptom trajectories after cognitive-behavioral therapy in adolescents with an age-adapted diagnosis of binge-eating disorder. Behavior Therapy, 53(1), 137–149. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.beth.2021.08.002
2021-12-22
New paper!
Our new paper by Busch et al. was published today. Nele Busch and colleagues provided and in-depth examination of excutive functions in binge-eating disorder. Adults with this disorder showed few deficits in general executive functions when compared to the population and no variations by mental or physical comorbidity. In contrast, higher weight status (e.g., obesity class 2) accounted for greater food-specific attentional bias.
Busch, N., Schmidt, R., & Hilbert, A. (2021). Executive functions of adults with binge-eating disorder: The role of weight status and psychopathology. Brain Sciences, 12(1), 6. https://doi.org/10.3390/brainsci12010006
2021-11-09
The End of Craving - Feature of our work in new book!
Our work was featured in the new book The End of Craving by best-selling author Mark Schatzker which was published today! Mark described his experiences when visiting our lab and when Anja made him have try pralinés and chips in therapeutic exercises, informing his view that wanting – a strong craving for food – could be replaced with liking – more enjoyment by eating better foods – as a potential remedy to the obesity pandemic…
Schatzker, M. (2021). The End of Craving: Recovering the Lost Wisdom of Eating Well. New York: Simon and Schuster.
2021-10-29
New paper! Our new paper by Puls et al. was published today. Based on data from real-life employment settings in Germany, Hans-Christian and colleagues showed that employees with obesity experienced more workplace bullying than those with normal weight. Workplace bullying was positively associated with psychological health impairments and partially mediated the associations between higher weight status and elevated burnout symptoms and lower quality of life in women, but not in men.
Puls, H.-C., Schmidt, R., Zenger, M., Kampling, H., Kruse, J., Brähler, E., & Hilbert, A. (2021). Sex-specific mediation effects of workplace bullying on associations between employees’ weight status and psychological health impairments. Nutrients, 13, 3867. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu13113867
2021-10-15
En route! This week, our PhD student Sarah takes part at the graduate conference of her Cusanuswerk scholarship in Haltern am See. Here, she presents her PhD thesis to an audience of other PhD students from diverse fields. Well done, Sarah!
2021-10-07
Lecture announcement - Do not miss! Congress of the German Obesity Society, Wiesbaden, Germany. On November 05, 2021, 5.15-5.40pm: Anja Hilbert will present on the new stigmatization chapter and related recommendations in the revision of the scientific S3-guidelines “Prevention and Treatment of Obesity” of the German Obesity Society