Erica LaFata

Dr. Erica LaFata is an Assistant Research Professor at the Drexel University Center for Weight, Eating, and Lifestyle Science. She earned her doctoral degree in clinical psychology from the University of Michigan and completed her postdoctoral research fellowship with the Center for Weight and Eating Disorders at the University of Pennsylvania. Dr. LaFata's program of research examines whether ultra-processed foods may be reinforcing in a manner that directly drives overeating and explores how core mechanisms of addictive disorders, like withdrawal, may contribute to eating-related problems for vulnerable individuals. She has published over 40 academic papers on this topic, and her work is presently funded by NIDDK and the Pennsylvania Department of Health. Dr. LaFata's research findings have also been covered in popular media outlets, such as the Huffington Post, ABC News, and Forbes.