Yoga for Positive Embodiment in Eating Disorder Prevention and Treatment

There is a growing body of research exploring the effectiveness of yoga as a pathway to positive embodiment for those at-risk for and struggling with eating disorders. This book provides a comprehensive look at the state of the field.

This book begins with an introduction to positive embodiment, eating disorders, and yoga. It also offers insights into the personal journey of each of the editors as they share what brought them to this work. The first section of this book explores the empirical and conceptual rationale for approaching eating disorder prevention and treatment through the lens of embodiment and yoga. The next section of the text integrates the history of embodiment theory as related to yoga and eating disorders, provides the logic model for change and guidance for researchers, and offers a critical social justice perceptive of the work to date. The third section addresses the efficacy of yoga in the prevention and treatment of eating disorders including a comprehensive review and meta-analysis as well as five research studies demonstrating the various approaches to exploring the preventative and therapeutic effects of yoga for disordered eating. The final section of this book closes with a chapter on future directions and offers guidance for what is next in both practice and research.

The chapters in this book were originally published as a special edition of Eating Disorders: The Journal of Treatment & Prevention.

Catherine Cook-Cottone, Ph.D., is a psychologist, certified yoga therapist, and Professor at University at Buffalo, SUNY, USA. She has written 8 books and over 80 research articles and chapters specializing in embodiment, mindful self-regulation, eating disorders, and trauma. Passionate about service, she is co-founder and president of Yogis in Service, Inc.

Anne E. Cox is a yoga teacher and Professor of Sport and Exercise Psychology in the kinesiology program at Washington State University, Pullman, USA where she co-directs the Psychology of Physical Activity Lab. Her research is focused on understanding key determinants of physical activity behaviors and seeks to apply knowledge about motivational processes and body image to create positive physical activity experiences.

Dianne Neumark-Sztainer, PhD, MPH, RD, RYT-500 is McKnight Presidential and Mayo Professor and serves as the Head of the Division of Epidemiology and Community Health, School of Public Health, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, USA. Her research focuses on a broad spectrum of eating and weight-related outcomes including eating disorders, unhealthy weight control behaviors, body image, dietary intake, weight stigmatization, and obesity. A certified yoga instructor, she has published approximately 550 articles and her current research interests include investigating the potential for the practice of yoga to help with body image concerns and eating disorders.

Tracy L. Tylka, Ph.D., is Professor of Psychology at The Ohio State University, USA. Her research focuses on both positive and negative body image as well as adaptive and maladaptive eating. To date, she has published 87 journal articles and has written three books and 20 book chapters. She is the Editor-in-Chief for Body Image: An International Journal of Research and on the editorial board for Eating Disorders: Journal of Treatment and Prevention. She is a Fellow of the Academy of Eating Disorders.