Albert J. ("Mickey") Stunkard (February 7, 1922 – July 12, 2014) was an American

psychiatrist A psychiatrist is a physician who specializes in psychiatry. Psychiatrists are physicians who evaluate patients to determine whether their symptoms are the result of a physical illness, a combination of physical and mental ailments or strictly ...

. He is known for his first descriptions of

binge eating disorder Binge eating disorder (BED) is an eating disorder characterized by frequent and recurrent binge eating episodes with associated negative psychological and social problems, but without the compensatory behaviors common to bulimia nervosa, OSFE ...

and

night eating syndrome Night eating syndrome (NES) is classified as an Other Specified Feeding or Eating Disorder (OSFED) under the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 5th Edition (DSM-5).American Psychiatric Association. (2013). ''Diagnostic and st ...

in the 1950s.

Life

Albert Stunkard was born in

Manhattan Manhattan ( ) is the most densely populated and geographically smallest of the Boroughs of New York City, five boroughs of New York City. Coextensive with New York County, Manhattan is the County statistics of the United States#Smallest, larg ...

New York City New York, often called New York City (NYC), is the most populous city in the United States, located at the southern tip of New York State on one of the world's largest natural harbors. The city comprises five boroughs, each coextensive w ...

, as the son of

biologist A biologist is a scientist who conducts research in biology. Biologists are interested in studying life on Earth, whether it is an individual Cell (biology), cell, a multicellular organism, or a Community (ecology), community of Biological inter ...

Horace Stunkard. He studied

medicine Medicine is the science and Praxis (process), practice of caring for patients, managing the Medical diagnosis, diagnosis, prognosis, Preventive medicine, prevention, therapy, treatment, Palliative care, palliation of their injury or disease, ...

Yale University Yale University is a Private university, private Ivy League research university in New Haven, Connecticut, United States. Founded in 1701, Yale is the List of Colonial Colleges, third-oldest institution of higher education in the United Stat ...

and received his

bachelor's degree A bachelor's degree (from Medieval Latin ''baccalaureus'') or baccalaureate (from Modern Latin ''baccalaureatus'') is an undergraduate degree awarded by colleges and universities upon completion of a course of study lasting three to six years ...

in 1943. He received his MD from

Columbia University Columbia University in the City of New York, commonly referred to as Columbia University, is a Private university, private Ivy League research university in New York City. Established in 1754 as King's College on the grounds of Trinity Churc ...

in 1945. During

World War II World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...

, he served as a

physician A physician, medical practitioner (British English), medical doctor, or simply doctor is a health professional who practices medicine, which is concerned with promoting, maintaining or restoring health through the Medical education, study, Med ...

in the

United States Army The United States Army (USA) is the primary Land warfare, land service branch of the United States Department of Defense. It is designated as the Army of the United States in the United States Constitution.Article II, section 2, clause 1 of th ...

Japan Japan is an island country in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean off the northeast coast of the Asia, Asian mainland, it is bordered on the west by the Sea of Japan and extends from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea ...

. He was a lifelong student of D. T. Suzuki. From 1973 to 1977 he was the head of the psychiatric department at

Stanford University Leland Stanford Junior University, commonly referred to as Stanford University, is a Private university, private research university in Stanford, California, United States. It was founded in 1885 by railroad magnate Leland Stanford (the eighth ...

. Yet, he spent the majority of his career as a

and

researcher Research is creative and systematic work undertaken to increase the stock of knowledge. It involves the collection, organization, and analysis of evidence to increase understanding of a topic, characterized by a particular attentiveness to ...

at the

University of Pennsylvania The University of Pennsylvania (Penn or UPenn) is a Private university, private Ivy League research university in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States. One of nine colonial colleges, it was chartered in 1755 through the efforts of f ...

Death

He died on July 12, 2014, in his Bryn Mawr,

Pennsylvania Pennsylvania, officially the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, is a U.S. state, state spanning the Mid-Atlantic (United States), Mid-Atlantic, Northeastern United States, Northeastern, Appalachian, and Great Lakes region, Great Lakes regions o ...

, home from

pneumonia Pneumonia is an Inflammation, inflammatory condition of the lung primarily affecting the small air sacs known as Pulmonary alveolus, alveoli. Symptoms typically include some combination of Cough#Classification, productive or dry cough, ches ...

. He is generally considered as one of the most famous pioneers in

obesity Obesity is a medical condition, considered by multiple organizations to be a disease, in which excess Adipose tissue, body fat has accumulated to such an extent that it can potentially have negative effects on health. People are classifi ...

research. His work in 1959 is regarded as the beginning of pessimism about long-term

weight management Weight management comprises behaviors, techniques, and Physiology, physiological processes that contribute to a person's ability to attain and maintain a healthy Human body weight, weight. Most weight management techniques encompass long-term li ...

. There is a chair professorship at the

Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania The Perelman School of Medicine (commonly known as Penn Med) is the medical school of the University of Pennsylvania, a Private university, private, Ivy League research university located in Philadelphia. Founded in 1765, the Perelman School of M ...

named for Stunkard. Holders of the chair have included Thomas A. Wadden.

Selected publications

* Albert J. Stunkard, Andrew Baum (Eds.): ''Perspectives in Behavioral Medicine – Eating, Sleeping, and Sex''. 1st edition. Psychology Press, Hove, UK 1989, * Thomas A. Wadden, Albert J. Stunkard (Eds.): ''Obesity: Theory and Therapy''. 2nd edition. Raven Press, New York 1993, . * Kelly C. Allison, Albert J. Stunkard, Sara L. Thier: ''Overcoming Night Eating Syndrome''. New Harbinger Publications, Oakland 2004, * Thomas A. Wadden, Albert J. Stunkard (Eds.): ''Handbook of Obesity Treatment''. 1st edition. The Guilford Press, New York 2004, * Jennifer D. Lundgren, Kelly C. Allison, Albert J. Stunkard (Eds.): ''Night Eating Syndrome: Research, Assessment, and Treatment''. 1st edition. The Guilford Press, New York 2012, .

References

External links

Festschrift about Albert Stunkard
* {{DEFAULTSORT:Stunkard, Albert 1922 births 2014 deaths American psychiatrists Yale University alumni Columbia University Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons alumni Deaths from pneumonia in Pennsylvania Scientists from New York City Physicians from Manhattan Stanford University faculty University of Pennsylvania faculty United States Army personnel of World War II American expatriates in Japan Members of the National Academy of Medicine