Press Release

A 12-week internet-based program helped women suffering from bulimia reduce binge eating and compensatory behaviors

Bulimia nervosa is an eating disorder that often goes untreated owing to limited access to specialist care. To address this, researchers tested a guided internet-based cognitive behavioral therapy program for women with bulimia that could be delivered online. They found that online therapy reduced binge eating and purge behaviors and achieved improved remission rates compared to usual care, offering a promising way to make effective treatment more accessible for people with limited clinic access.

Bulimia nervosa (BN), or bulimia, is a mental health disorder characterized by binge eating and a fear of gaining weight, which drives people to try and avoid weight gain, usually by compensatory (vomiting etc.). Over time, this binge–purge cycle harms both physical and mental health of the individual, leading to problems like dehydration, low blood pressure, depression, and even self-harm. BN mostly affects young women and often begins in their teenage years, with studies showing that up to three percent of women may experience BN at some point in their lives, putting them at higher risk if left untreated.

BN is thought to develop from harmful learned habits that can be changed with cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT). This approach helps people break the binge–purge cycle by challenging negative thoughts and beliefs related to dieting and body weight. However, for many people, especially those living far away from specialist clinics, accessing face-to-face therapy is not always easy or even possible.

Now, in the first study of its kind conducted in Asia, an international team of researchers have shown that CBT can also be effective when delivered online. Their findings suggest that guided internet-based CBT (ICBT) can help people who otherwise struggle to get specialist care. 

The study was conducted by Dr. Sayo Hamatani from the Research Center for Child Mental Development, University of Fukui, Japan, and included several co-authors, such as Dr. Kazuki Matsumoto from Kagoshima University, Japan; Dr. Gerhard Andersson from Linköping University in Sweden; and Dr. Yoshifumi Mizuno from the University of Fukui, along with researchers from Tohoku University Hospital, Chiba University, Dokkyo Medical University Saitama Medical Center, National Center of Neurology and Psychiatry, and Tokushima University. The results were published online in Volume 8 of the journal JAMA Network Open on August 05, 2025.

Reference
Title of original paper: Guided Internet-Based Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Women with Bulimia Nervosa: A Randomized Clinical Trial
Journal: JAMA Network Open
DOI: 10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2025.25165

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