EMBARGOED: 12:01AM ET, TUESDAY, OCTOBER 13, 2020: US Researchers Seeking 6,000+ Participants for World’s Largest Eating Disorders Genetics Study

Study to pinpoint genes influencing risk of developing eating disorders

CHAPEL HILL, N.C.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Tomorrow (Tuesday, October 13), University of North Carolina (UNC) researchers will call for more than 6,000 participants aged 18 years and over, with first-hand experience of an eating disorder to enroll in the world’s largest ever genetic research study into three complex and devastating mental illnesses.

The ground-breaking Eating Disorders Genetics Initiative (EDGI) aims to identify the hundreds of genes that influence a person’s risk of developing anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, and binge-eating disorder, to improve treatment, and ultimately save lives.

The UNC researchers' call for study participants will coincide with the release of their survey results examining the impact of COVID-19 on Americans living with eating disorders, in which two-in-three respondents voiced concern for their mental well-being.¹

Eating disorders are complex mental illnesses that for some, can lead to severe and permanent physical complications, and even death.^2,3 While various studies have explored one’s genetic predisposition to developing an eating disorder, only a handful of the responsible genes have been identified to date, leaving many more to be found.

To hear how cracking the genetic code of eating disorders will improve treatments, and save lives, tee up an interview and/or photo opportunity with:

HEALTHCARE PROFESSIONALS
* Denotes Spanish-speaking spokesperson
Professor Cynthia Bulik	Distinguished Professor of Eating Disorders & Founding Director, The University of North Carolina Center of Excellence for Eating Disorders & Principal Investigator, EDGI, NORTH CAROLINA
Professor Laura Thornton	Deputy Director, EDGI, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, NORTH CAROLINA
Rachael Flatt	Clinical Psychology Doctoral Candidate, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, EDGI research assistant & US Ladies’ National Champion & Olympic figure skater, NORTH CAROLINA
Dr Jessica Baker	Clinical Psychologist, Associate Professor, & Associate Research Director, UNC Center of Excellence for Eating Disorders, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, NORTH CAROLINA
Dr Tonya Foreman	Child Psychiatrist, Associate Professor, Medical Director, University of North Carolina Center of Excellence for Eating Disorders, NORTH CAROLINA
Dr Christine Peat	Clinical Psychologist, Direction of the National Center of Excellence for Eating Disorders, NORTH CAROLINA
Dr Rachel Goode	Assistant Professor, Department of Social Work, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, NORTH CAROLINA
Dr Mae Lynn Reyes-Rodríguez*	Associate Clinical Professor, Psychiatry Department & adjunct faculty, Center for Latino Health (CELAH), The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, NORTH CAROLINA *Available for Spanish interviews
Dr Paola Giusti Rodríguez*	Assistant Professor, Department of Psychiatry, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, NORTH CAROLINA *Available for Spanish interviews
Dr Ya-Ke “Grace” Wu	Assistant Professor of Nursing, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, NORTH CAROLINA *Available for Mandarin interviews
Dr Stephanie Zerwas	Clinical Psychologist, Owner & Founder, Flourish Chapel Hill, NORTH CAROLINA
Dr Laura Huckins	Assistant Professor, Division of Psychiatric Genomics, Icahn School of Medicine, Mount Sinai, NEW YORK
Dr Stephanie Setliff	Psychiatrist & Regional Medical Director, Eating Recovery Center, TEXAS
Professor Kelly L. Klump	MSU Foundation Professor of Psychology, Michigan State University & Fellow, Academy for Eating Disorders, MICHIGAN
Professor Lisa Lilenfeld	Clinical Psychologist, WASHINGTON D.C.
Dr Karen Mitchell	Clinical Research Psychologist, National Center for PTSD, VA Boston Healthcare System & Associate Professor of Psychiatry, Boston University School of Medicine, MASSACHUSETTS
Dr Lauren Breithaupt	Clinical & Research Fellow in Psychology, Massachusetts General Hospital & Harvard Medical School, MASSACHUSETTS
Dr Emily Pisetsky	Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences, University of Minnesota Medical School, MINNESOTA
EATING DISORDER ADVOCACY GROUP REPRESENTATIVES
Patti Geolat	Founder, Something for Kelly Foundation & founder & CEO, Geolat Companies, TEXAS
Laura Collins Lyster-Mensh	Author, Founder & Executive Director, F.E.A.S.T., VIRGINIA
INFLUENCERS
Ginger Zee	Chief Meteorologist, ABC News, dates her struggles with eating & weight back to age 10, NEW YORK
Maris Degener	Yoga teacher, writer & mental health advocate who battled an eating disorder during her teens, CALIFORNIA
AMERICANS WITH FIRST-HAND EXPERIENCE OF AN EATING DISORDER
Marybeth, 49	Eating disorders advocate who has lived with anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa & binge-eating disorder, NORTH CAROLINA
Katie, 20	Passionate writer & college student who has spent more than half of their* life consumed by bulimia nervosa, NORTH CAROLINA *Katie has chosen to identify with gender neutral pronouns
Stacey, 48	Eating disorders advocate who has lived with anorexia nervosa, NORTH CAROLINA
Manda, 33	Endured 20 years between her first symptoms & receiving treatment for an eating disorder, TEXAS
Janice, 65	Executive Director, Eating Disorders Resource Center (EDRC) who has battled anorexia nervosa for almost 50 years, CALIFORNIA
Erika, 30*	PhD student in Linguistics who was diagnosed with anorexia nervosa at 12 years of age, CALIFORNIA *Available for Spanish interviews
Maddie, 21	Student who lived with anorexia nervosa throughout most of her teens, CALIFORNIA
Jacob, 25	Student, avid hiker, & writer who battled anorexia nervosa for nine years, NEBRASKA
Shira, 37	Nurse, eating disorder mentor, & avid hiker who has lived with three eating disorders for 23 years, MINNESOTA
Heather, 43	Former ballerina, social worker & research associate who battled anorexia nervosa for 23 years, RHODE ISLAND
Amy, 50	Mom who has waged a more than 30-year-long battle with anorexia nervosa, NEW JERSEY
Kelly, 29	Nursing student who has lived with anorexia nervosa, FLORIDA
DIGITAL MEDIA KIT + VISION	Digital media kit available TUESDAY, OCTOBER 13 – edgimediakit.org B-roll (broadcast) vision available for download – https://vimeo.com/464100773/35c0fa5552
INTERVIEWS	Phil Bridges University of North Carolina (UNC), US [e-mail] [phone] Casey Adams Jones C. Adams Agency, US [e-mail] [phone] Kirsten Bruce & Mel Kheradi VIVA! Communications, AUS [e-mail] / [e-mail] [phone] | [phone] | [phone]

References

1. Termorshuizen, J.D., et al., Early Impact of COVID-19 on Individuals with Eating Disorders: A survey of ~1000 Individuals in the United States and the Netherlands. Int J Eat Disord, 2020.
2. National Institute of Mental Health. Eating Disorders: About More Than Food. 2018 [cited Aug, 2020]; Available from: https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/publications/eating-disorders/index.shtml.
3. Fichter, M.M., et al., Long-term outcome of anorexia nervosa: Results from a large clinical longitudinal study. Int J Eat Disord, 2017. 50(9): p. 1018-1030.