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A growing body of published studies validates Eat Breathe Thrive as an effective, evidence-based intervention for eating disorders.
Eat Breathe Thrive is informed by emerging evidence on yoga and peer support in eating disorder prevention and recovery.
Eat Breathe Thrive is an evidence-based intervention which has shown promising results in large randomized controlled trials, with diverse populations.
It was developed by those with lived experience of eating disorder recovery and has been refined and co-designed in collaboration with clinicians and researchers for over a decade. Explore the growing body of evidence validating the impact of Eat Breathe Thrive in eating disorder treatment and prevention below.
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Eating Disorder Prevention
Studies have shown that Eat Breathe Thrive may help prevent eating disorders in young people, particularly college athletes.
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Severe and Chronic Eating Disorders
Research suggests that Eat Breathe Thrive may be an effective adjunct treatment, particularly for those with long-standing eating disorders.
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Mental Health and Positive Embodiment
Eat Breathe Thrive has been shown to reduce depression, anxiety, and PTSD and support positive embodiment.
Adults with Disordered Eating
This randomized controlled trial found that the Eat Breathe Thrive Seven-Week intervention significantly reduced eating disorder symptoms, depression, and emotional regulation difficulties in adults with disordered eating and body image challenges. Participants also showed increased use of embodied skills and sustained improvements in well-being up to six months after the program.
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Evidence suggests yoga may be a promising tool in the prevention and treatment of eating disorders, but there are few yoga interventions designed specifically for this population and rigorous literature on their efficacy is limited. This study examined the efficacy and feasibility of Eat Breathe Thrive, a yoga-based program designed to prevent and help people recover from eating disorders.
Researchers recruited 168 participants from communities throughout the United States and the United Kingdom. Compared to controls, Eat Breathe Thrive participants experienced significant decreases in eating disorder behaviors, depression, and difficulties regulating emotions. Researchers also found improvements in protective factors that reduce the risk of eating disorders, including self-care, self-compassion, body appreciation, social connection, and mindful eating.
After only a single session, participants reported immediate improvement in their sense of well-being. Most effects were sustained at a six-month follow-up.
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The purpose of the study was to determine if the Eat Breathe Thrive program reduces the risk of eating disorders and boosts protective factors. The study explored the following questions:
Does the program decrease eating disorder behaviors and symptoms?
Do those who participate in Eat Breathe Thrive show improvements in depression and anxiety, and in how they cope with emotions?
Do those who participate in Eat Breathe Thrive develop protective factors against eating disorders, such as increased interoceptive awareness, mindful eating, and mindful self-care?
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Participants: Researchers recruited 168 participants from ten cities in the US and UK; including San Francisco, London, Edinburgh, Los Angeles, Richmond, Las Vegas, and Concord. Participants were between the ages of 18 and 65, English-speaking, not pregnant, and had not participated in an Eat Breathe Thrive program before. Those who completed the study received a Lululemon gift card as compensation.
Intervention: The manualized Eat Breathe Thrive intervention consists of seven weekly sessions. Each session is two hours; approximately one hour of psychoeducation and interactive activities, followed by one hour of yoga and meditation.
Facilitators: Each program was led by two facilitators: one mental health professional and one certified yoga teacher or yoga therapist. All facilitators completed the Eat Breathe Thrive Facilitator Training, which includes a 3-day Immersion Course, a 6-month Training with supervision, and access to instructional videos and a comprehensive manual.
Results
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Researchers found the Eat Breathe Thrive program reduces the risk of eating disorders. Specifically, the study found that participants:
Eating Disorder Symptoms — Experienced significant immediate and long-term reductions in eating disorder symptoms
Anxiety — Reported immediate reductions in trait anxiety
Depression — Reported sustained reductions in depression and fewer difficulties regulating emotions
PTSD — Experienced significant and long-term improvements in PTSD symptoms
Difficulties in Emotional Regulation — Reported fewer difficulties regulating emotions
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Researchers found the Eat Breathe Thrive program boosts factors that protect against eating disorders. Specifically, the study found that participants:
Mindful Eating — Engaged more frequently in mindful eating, even six months after the program ended
Distress Tolerance — Experienced significant improvements in their ability to tolerate distress
Interoceptive Awareness — Were better able to sense and interpret their bodily sensations (e.g. hunger and fullness)
Functional Appreciation — Felt greater appreciation for their body for its functionality, rather than its appearance
Adaptive Coping — Reported using fewer dysfunctional coping strategies (i.e., self-blame)
Body Appreciation — Reported feeling more respect and appreciation for their bodies
Mindful Self-Care — Engaged in self-care on a more regular basis after the program
Self-Compassion — Felt greater compassion for themselves
Social Connection — Reported feeling less lonely in their relationships
In-the-Moment Well-Being — Reported immediate improvements in stress, relaxation, and connection with their body after just a single session.
Overview
Adults with Severe and Longstanding Eating Disorders
This large randomized controlled trial found that the virtual four-week Eat Breathe Thrive for Recovery (EBT-R) program significantly reduced eating disorder symptoms, depression, and anxiety in individuals with long-standing eating disorders. Results suggest EBT-R is an effective adjunct treatment, even for those with severe, treatment-resistant cases, with many participants reporting continued improvement at follow-up.
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People with longstanding eating disorders are often framed as untreatable, treatment-resistant, or terminal. But more often than not, they just haven't received the care they need to recover.
Embodied practices and peer support may help people with eating disorders build and internalize skills that support lasting recovery.
Current treatments for eating disorders are not effective for all people, and patients are often blamed when treatment is unsuccessful
Most treatments emphasize cognitive modalities, with little exploration of the felt experience of the body, emotions, and self in relation to others
Recovery is more than just the absence of symptoms; it involves rebuilding quality of life, body connection, identity, and relationships.
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277 adults with eating disorders were recruited from more than 27 countries, including Turkey, Bulgaria, Singapore, Japan, Peru, Argentina, and Russia.
64% had previously tried therapy, and 22% had undergone inpatient treatment for their eating
disorder, but had not yet recovered.70% had been struggling with an eating disorder for more than ten years.
38% Anorexia Nervosa
29% Binge Eating Disorder
18% Bulimia Nervosa
17% OSFED
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EBT-R is a four-week virtual intervention that includes:
Experiential Skill-Building
Participants learned practical skills to help them connect with their bodies, cope with emotions, and sustain recovery.
Yoga and Mindfulness
After discussion and activities, participants practiced yoga, meditation, and breathwork to integrate the skills intrapersonally.
Peer Support
Each session included experiential and peer support to help participants discuss and practice skills interpersonally.
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Participants reported significant improvements in:
Eating Disorders
Depression
Anxiety
Interoceptive Awareness
Intuitive Eating
Self-Compassion
Mindful Self-Care
Emotion Dysregulation
Body Trust
Researchers found clinically significant reductions in eating disorders and anxiety in just four weeks. These results suggest that EBT-R may be efficacious for those who have been struggling with eating disorders for many years.
Many outcomes continued to improve at a three-month follow-up.
Overview
“My body has often been seen as the enemy– something to be controlled or … distrusted or berated when it doesn't do what I want. It's the inner awareness that has helped me move towards developing a more collaborative relationship with my body … I don't trust it fully, but I trust it more to guide me. I've been listening more to the voice [of my body].”
(Pershyn et al., 2024, p.15)
Athletes and Eating Disorders
This controlled trial evaluated the effectiveness of Eat Breathe Thrive as an eating disorder prevention program for NCAA Division I athletes. The study included 94 female athletes, comparing those who participated in EBT sessions with a matched control group.
Results showed that EBT participants experienced significant reductions in state anxiety and increases in body trust, a key marker of interoceptive awareness. Nearly all participants rated the program favorably, with 97% saying they would recommend it to a teammate.
Participant Experiences
This qualitative study explored how Eat Breathe Thrive helps people improve their relationship with their bodies and recover from disordered eating. Researchers interviewed 16 participants from the U.S. and the U.K. who took part in the program between 2018 and 2022.
Participants shared that the program helped them build self-compassion, emotional resilience, and trust in their bodies. They described feeling more connected to their internal needs, able to make meaningful gains in recovery, and offering insights into how the program works and why it benefits participants.
“I have become so much more aware of my own body... I notice more when I’m full or... the difference between hunger and thirst. I just feel a bit more attuned...I’m kinder to myself. I can see that my body and the food I eat reflect all the really positive experiences I have in my life.”
(Pershyn et al, 2024)
Benefits & Outcomes
Research suggests that Eat Breathe Thrive interventions may reduce the risk of eating disorders and positively impact several key areas of mental health that support sustained recovery.
Specifically, research findings indicate that Eat Breathe Thrive interventions may improve the following:
Eating Disorders
Post Traumatic Stress Disorder
Anxiety and Depression
Interoceptive Awareness
Emotion Regulation
Interpersonal Relationships
Mindful Eating
Body Appreciation
Mindful Self-Care
Honesty and Integrity
Loneliness and Isolation
Distress Tolerance
Self-Compassion
Body Trust
Relapse Rates