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UCL Minds Lunch Hour Lecture: Should I fast for my health and wellbeing?

01 October 2019, 1:00 pm–2:00 pm

Photo on a no-eating sign

Lucy Serpell, Associate Professor in the Psychology of Eating Disorders at UCL, will discuss the impact of mild, moderate and extreme fasting on health, psychological wellbeing and brain function.

Event Information

Open to

All

Availability

Yes

Organiser

Emma Hart – Communications and Marketing, UCL

Location

Darwin Lecture Theatre
044: Darwin Building
Gower Street
London
WC1E 6BT
United Kingdom

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About the Lecture:
Fasting, the practice of partially or completely restricting food intake has been practiced historically for a range of reasons. Most recently, intermittent fasting and the '5:2' diet have been recommended, sometimes uncritically, for the purposes of weight loss, improving health and even to increase lifespan. However, the extreme restriction seen in eating disorders such as anorexia nervosa is seen as unhealthy and dangerous. In this lecture I will review what we know so far about the impact of mild, moderate and extreme fasting on health, psychological wellbeing and brain function and suggest some research priorities in terms of unanswered questions.

This lecture is part of our October series of UCL Minds Lunch Hour Lectures in recognition of World Mental Health Day on Thursday 10 October 2019. The aim is to raise awareness of mental health issues around the world and mobilise efforts to support people with mental health issues.

Watch via the live stream

About the Speaker

Lucy Serpell

Associate Professor in the Psychology of Eating Disorders at UCL at Department of Clinical, Educational and Health Psychology, Brain Sciences, UCL

Lucy Serpell is currently Associate Professor in the Psychology of Eating Disorders at UCL, leading the Eating Disorder Research Group and contributing to the Doctorate in Clinical Psychology. Lucy is also Clinical Lead for Eating Disorders at North East London NHS Foundation Trust (NELFT) where she leads a busy lifespan eating disorder service. Research interests include the neuropsychology of eating disorders and dieting, the development and evaluation of new treatments for eating disorders and the valued nature of anorexia nervosa.

Other events in this series