Food Mad
The Nutritional Neuroscience of the Starved Brain
Victoria Schonwald — Registered Dietitian
Eating disorders are not problems of willpower or motivation. They are biological crises of a starved brain. This book explains why, and why nutrition is the foundation, not an optional part, of recovery.
Eva Musby
Author, Anorexia and Other Eating Disorders: How to Help Your Child Eat Well and Be Well
I'm listing this book right at the top because it's a simple, calm read that sets first things first: how a starved brain cannot think flexibly, rationally or safely. How nutrition is where you begin.Eating disorders dietitian Victoria Schonwald writes with enormous compassion. Food Mad is friendly, non‑judgemental and non‑triggering. While it rests on science, essential biological teachings are delivered in a succinct, calm voice.
And it's full of quotable lines. Only yesterday, I heard of yet another woman who's being discharged due to 'lack of motivation'. When really, as Victoria writes: "She does not lack insight. She lacks fuel."
Parents, partners, clinicians, you'll benefit from this book — even if you have many other eating disorder resources. Food Mad helps keep the most important biological truth front and centre while navigating various phases of treatment. It's relevant, whatever the age or eating-disorder type of the person you're supporting. And if you're new to eating disorders, make it your first read.
If you have an eating disorder and looking for a useful book, I believe this one is ideal because it's biologically sound, and doesn't preach or harangue or try to scare you into action. It rests on science, but keeps the message simple so you don't get sidetracked. While your brain is under-fueled, knowledge may not be what drives change, but the respectful, kind tone of this book may well bring you much-needed empathy — enough for you to take your next step."
read more here
Dr Jeffery Desarbo
Neuropsychiatrist
"As a neuropsychiatrist specializing in the treatment of eating disorders, I am so appreciative of this book which is important for our field and the advancement of understanding and treating eating disorders. I feel this book can be extremely helpful for clinicians, patients and families to see the important scientific aspects of food with eating disorders and the brain. A great explanation of why we consider food the main medication for a starving brain."
Sarah Rowland
Founder of EDCS
"I have worked with Victoria Schonwald for several years and hold deep respect for both her expertise and the seriousness she brings to her work. As a highly trained specialist eating disorder dietitian, Victoria has an exceptional understanding of the neuroscience of nutrition and its effects on the body and brain across ages, stages, and presentations, including where eating disorders co-occur with other health conditions.
What distinguishes her is not only the depth of her knowledge, but her ability to translate complex neurobiological concepts into guidance that is genuinely usable for clinicians, families, and people living with an eating disorder. She is consistently attentive to the wider family system, recognising the profound impact eating disorders have on parents, partners, siblings, and whānau, and this perspective is evident throughout her clinical and consultative work.
In my professional experience, Food Mad reflects this same combination of scientific rigour, clarity, and compassion. It is a thoughtful, evidence-based contribution that will be of real value to those seeking a deeper understanding of the relationship between nutrition, the brain, and eating disorder recovery."
The Research Behind Food Mad
Food Mad is not a popular science book dressed up as evidence-based. The claims in this book are drawn from peer-reviewed research published in journals including Nature Reviews Neuroscience, The Lancet, the British Medical Journal, and the New England Journal of Medicine.
Below is the full reference list, verified against source documents, for anyone who wants to explore the literature further.
1. Keys A, Brožek J, Henschel A, Mickelsen O, Taylor HL. The Biology of Human Starvation. Minneapolis: University of Minnesota Press; 1950.
2. Frank GKW. Altered brain reward circuits in eating disorders: chicken or egg? Curr Psychiatry Rep. 2013;15(10):396.
3. Treasure J, Duarte TA, Schmidt U. Eating disorders. Lancet. 2020;395(10227):899–911.
4. Kaye WH, Fudge JL, Paulus M. New insights into symptoms and neurocircuit function of anorexia nervosa. Nat Rev Neurosci. 2009;10(8):573–84.
5. Lieberman HR. Nutrition, brain function and cognitive performance. Appetite. 2003;40(3):245–54.
6. Lock J, Le Grange D. Treatment Manual for Anorexia Nervosa: A Family-Based Approach. 2nd ed. New York: Guilford Press; 2013.
7. Treasure J, Schmidt U. The cognitive-interpersonal maintenance model of anorexia nervosa revisited. J Eat Disord. 2013;1:13.
8. Westmoreland P, Mehler PS. Caring for patients with severe and enduring eating disorders (SEED): certification, harm reduction, palliative care, and the question of futility. J Psychiatr Pract. 2016;22(4):313–20.
9. Dulloo AG, Jacquet J, Montani JP, Schutz Y. How dieting makes the lean fatter: from a perspective of body composition autoregulation through adipostats and proteinstats awaiting discovery. Obes Rev. 2015;16(S1):25–35.
10. Redman LM, Ravussin E. Caloric restriction in humans: impact on physiological, psychological, and behavioral outcomes. Antioxid Redox Signal. 2011;14(2):275–87.
11. Gaudiani JL. Sick Enough: A Guide to the Medical Complications of Eating Disorders. New York: Routledge; 2019.
12. O'Connor G, Goldin J. The refeeding syndrome and glucose load. Int J Eat Disord. 2011;44(2):182–5.
13. Mehanna HM, Moledina J, Travis J. Refeeding syndrome: what it is, and how to prevent and treat it. BMJ. 2008;336(7659):1495–8.
14. Appelbaum PS. Assessment of patients' competence to consent to treatment. N Engl J Med. 2007;357(18):1834–40.
Who This Book is For
Clinicians & health professionals
A brain-based framework for understanding risk, recovery, and the role of nutritional rehabilitation — written by a specialist who works daily with high-risk, complex cases.
Parents, carers & families
If someone you love has an eating disorder and you are struggling to understand what is happening to them — and why they can't seem to want to get better — this book is for you.
People with lived experience
A clear, non-blaming framework for understanding what starvation does to the brain — without oversimplifying or minimising the complexity of recovery.
Anyone who has felt confused
By "normal blood tests," "normal weight," or apparent insight in someone who is clearly not well. Food Mad explains why these markers so often mislead — and what to look for instead.
What this book covers
This book brings together nutritional neuroscience, clinical experience, and real-world systems knowledge to explain:
-
How starvation and under-nutrition alter brain function, judgement, and emotional processing
-
Why eating disorders are not driven by vanity, control, or choice
-
Anosognosia and why people may genuinely not recognise how unwell they are
-
Why weight, blood tests, and appearance can be misleading indicators of safety
-
How nutrition affects neuroplasticity, learning, and recovery capacity
-
Why delayed nutritional rehabilitation causes harm — even when intentions are good
-
The role of families, clinicians, and systems in either supporting or obstructing recovery
This is not a meal plan.
It is a framework for understanding.
The brain is built from food.
Food is to the brain what bricks, wiring, and plumbing are to a house, without them, nothing works, no matter how good the design is.
What makes Food Mad different
Most books focus on psychology without adequately explaining the brain.
Food Mad centres nutrition as the foundation, not because food is the problem, but because the brain cannot heal without it.
The book:
-
Integrates neuroscience with real clinical scenarios
-
Explains why certain approaches fail, not just that they do
-
Acknowledges harm done by well-meaning but under-informed systems
-
Avoids blame, shame, and simplistic narratives
-
Is written by a clinician who works daily with high-risk, complex cases
This book does not promise quick fixes.
It offers clarity.
Recovery doesn’t happen in isolation.
$2 from every book sold is donated to EDCS, contributing to education, support, and advocacy for people affected by eating disorders.