The future of eating disorders

Psychiatrist Jennifer Derenne specializes in eating disorders. Most eating disorders begin in adolescence, but they can appear much earlier – or later – in life, too. To begin healing, Derenne works with an interdisciplinary team to first stabilize and renourish her patients and uses evidence-based psychotherapy that incorporates strong family involvement. Recent clinical studies are exploring the use of psychedelics to open new avenues for treating these notoriously hard-to-treat illnesses. Eating disorders are a life-threatening medical condition, Derenne asserts, telling host Russ Altman that “food is the best medicine” on this episode of Stanford Engineering’s The Future of Everything podcast. Have a question for Russ? Send it our way in writing or via voice memo, and it might be featured on an upcoming episode. Please introduce yourself, let us know where you're listening from, and share your question. You can send questions to thefutureofeverything@stanford.edu . Episode Reference Links: Stanford Profile: Jennifer L. Derenne, MD Connect With Us: Episode Transcripts >>> The Future of Everything Website Connect with Russ >>> Threads / Bluesky / Mastodon Connect with School of Engineering >>> Twitter/X / Instagram / LinkedIn / Facebook Chapters: (00:00:00) Introduction Russ Altman introduces guest Jennifer Derenne, a professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences at Stanford University. (00:03:11) Studying Eating Disorders Jennifer’s path from pediatrics to psychiatry and studying eating disorders. (00:03:44) T ypes of Eating Disorders A breakdown of the main diagnoses and what distinguishes them. (00:04:59) Who Gets Eating Disorders? The age ranges of those affected and when symptoms first appear. (00:05:46) Disordered Vs. Normal Eating Distinguishing common weight concerns from dangerous dysfunction. (00:07:15) Treating Teen Eating Disorders Why family involvement is crucial and treatment focuses on behaviors. (00:08:56) Genetics & Social Media The different risk factors that can contribute to disordered eating. (00:10:08) Smartphones & Mental Health The impact of smartphones on the development of coping mechanisms. (00:12:32) Transitioning to College Why mental health can destabilize during the move to independence. (00:15:51) Treating Eating Disorders The multidisciplinary approach to treating disordered eating. (00:18:39) Supervision & Safety The importance of supervision and medical follow-ups to help prevent relapse. (00:21:03) AI in Adolescent Psychiatry ​​The pros and cons of AI tools in adolescent mental health support. (00:25:21) The Limits of Medication How medications often target comorbidities rather than the eating disorder itself. (00:27:08) Psychedelics Research Emerging studies on using psychedelics in the treatment of eating disorders. (00:29:47) Future In a Minute Rapid-fire Q&A: curiosity, treatment optimism, and becoming a book editor. (00:31:48) Conclusion Connect With Us: Episode Transcripts >>> The Future of Everything Website Connect with Russ >>> Threads / Bluesky / Mastodon Connect with School of Engineering >>> Twitter/X / Instagram / LinkedIn / Facebook Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

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The future of eating disorders is an episode from The Future of Everything presented by Stanford Engineering by Stanford Engineering & Russ Altman.

This episode is 00:32:50 long.

This episode was published on Feb 20, 2026.

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