Projects

Anorexia nervosa is characterized by low body weight resulting from restricted food intake, a severe and persistent fear of gaining weight, and a distorted perception of body weight and shape. Consequently, weighing as part of therapeutic treatment often elicits pronounced stress responses. The aim of the WASA project is to investigate physiological and psychological stress responses to weight exposure in adolescents with anorexia nervosa compared to healthy peers. In addition, changes in stress responses during inpatient treatment and their impact on treatment outcomes are examined. In collaboration with Inselspital Bern, a subproject of WASA aims to analyse the development of the microbiome in our patients during meal and weight restoration.

Principal Investigator: Prof. Dr. med. Michael Kaess

Project manager: Dr. phil. Armita Tschitsaz

PhD students: MSc Andrea Schuhmacher & MSc Konrad Wiehl

Since 2012, the Anorexia Register has operated as a multicentre project in Germany. Its objective is to address research questions related to clinical presentation, aetiology, course and treatment trajectories of anorexia nervosa, with the goal of optimizing diagnosis and treatment. We have been participating in this registry since 2021, during which time we have assessed inpatients at our specialized therapy centre for eating disorders.

Principal Investigator: Prof. Dr. med. Michael Kaess

Project manager: Dr. phil. Armita Tschitsaz

App-based interventions have the potential to improve healthcare delivery due to advantages such as increased accessibility, flexibility in time and location, and lower barriers to accessing healthcare services. However, many existing apps do not fully exploit technological possibilities, fail to adequately consider usability, lack a solid theoretical foundation, and do not sufficiently tailor interventions to individual users.

In collaboration with Inselspital Bern, this project aims to develop and implement two personalized, parent-centred, guided app-based interventions targeting parental behaviours related to nutrition, physical activity, and smoking. The primary endpoints are risk factors associated with asthma and obesity in children. The efficacy of the apps will be evaluated in two randomized controlled trials, and acceptance and usability will also be assessed.

Principal Investigators: Prof. Dr. med. Matthias Kopp (Inselspital Bern) & Prof. Dr. med. Michael Kaess (UPD Bern)

Project manager: PD Dr. phil. Andrea Wyssen

PhD student: MSc Clemens Haupt

https://kinderklinik.insel.ch/de/lehre-und-forschung/forschung/elipse

The Bern Centre for Eating Disorders (Berner Zentrum für Essstörungen, BZE) is a specialized outpatient service for children and adolescents aged 6–17 years with eating and weight disorders. It is located at the University Hospital for Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Psychotherapy. All patients receiving care at the service are invited to participate in the cohort study.

The objective of the study is to investigate diagnostic criteria, correlates, and prognostic factors of eating and weight disorders in adolescents seeking treatment. In addition, individual predictors of treatment response (e.g., personality functioning and cognitive flexibility) are examined.

Project manager: PD. Dr. phil. Andrea Wyssen & Dr. phil. A. Tschitsaz

PhD student: MSc Konrad Wiehl

Data on children diagnosed with Avoidant/Restrictive Food Intake Disorder (ARFID) have been collected in close collaboration with the working group led by Professor Hilbert (Dr. Ricarda Schmidt, Leipzig) and Leipzig University Hospital, Germany. The data are currently being analyzed from multiple perspectives, and publications are ongoing.

Project manager: PD Dr. med. Franziska Schlensog-Schuster