NATIONAL MEDIA ALERT
TUESDAY, OCTOBER 13, 2020
FOR IMMEDIATE USE
US researchers seeking 6,000+ participants for
world’s largest eating disorders genetics study
Study to pinpoint genes influencing risk of developing eating disorders
Today, October 13, University of North Carolina (UNC) researchers are calling 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 coincides 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
Distinguished Professor of Eating Disorders & Founding Director, The University of North Carolina Center of Excellence for Eating Disorders & Principal Investigator, EDGI, NORTH CAROLINA
Deputy Director, EDGI, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, NORTH CAROLINA
Clinical Psychology Doctoral Candidate, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, EDGI research assistant & US Ladies’ National Champion & Olympic figure skater, NORTH CAROLINA
Clinical Psychologist, Associate Professor, & Associate Research Director, UNC Center of Excellence for Eating Disorders, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, NORTH CAROLINA
Child Psychiatrist, Associate Professor, Medical Director, University of North Carolina Center of Excellence for Eating Disorders, NORTH CAROLINA
Clinical Psychologist, Direction of the National Center of Excellence for Eating Disorders, NORTH CAROLINA
Assistant Professor, Department of Social Work, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, NORTH CAROLINA
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
Assistant Professor, Department of Psychiatry, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, NORTH CAROLINA *Available for Spanish interviews
Assistant Professor of Nursing, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, NORTH CAROLINA *Available for Mandarin interviews
Clinical Psychologist, Owner & Founder, Flourish Chapel Hill, NORTH CAROLINA
Assistant Professor, Division of Psychiatric Genomics, Icahn School of Medicine, Mount Sinai, NEW YORK
Psychiatrist & Regional Medical Director, Eating Recovery Center, TEXAS
MSU Foundation Professor of Psychology, Michigan State University & Fellow, Academy for Eating Disorders, MICHIGAN
Clinical Psychologist, WASHINGTON D.C.
Clinical Research Psychologist, National Center for PTSD, VA Boston Healthcare System & Associate Professor of Psychiatry, Boston University School of Medicine, MASSACHUSETTS
Clinical & Research Fellow in Psychology, Massachusetts General Hospital & Harvard Medical School, MASSACHUSETTS
Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences, University of Minnesota Medical School, MINNESOTA
Professor Cynthia Bulik
Professor Laura Thornton
Rachael Flatt
Dr Jessica Baker
Dr Tonya Foreman
Dr Christine Peat
Dr Rachel Goode
Dr Mae Lynn Reyes-Rodríguez*
Dr Paola Giusti Rodríguez*
Dr Ya-Ke “Grace” Wu
Dr Stephanie Zerwas
Dr Laura Huckins
Dr Stephanie Setliff
Professor Kelly L. Klump
Professor Lisa Lilenfeld
Dr Karen Mitchell
Dr Lauren Breithaupt
Dr Emily Pisetsky
EATING DISORDER ADVOCACY GROUP REPRESENTATIVES
Patti Geolat
Laura Collins Lyster-Mensh
Founder, Something for Kelly Foundation & founder & CEO, Geolat Companies, TEXAS
Author, Founder & Executive Director, F.E.A.S.T., VIRGINIA
INFLUENCER
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
Katie, 20
Stacey, 48
Manda, 33
Janice, 65
Erika, 30*
Maddie, 21
Jacob, 25
Shira, 37
Heather, 43
Amy, 50
Kelly, 29
Eating disorders advocate who has lived with anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa & binge-eating disorder, NORTH CAROLINA
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
Eating disorders advocate who has lived with anorexia nervosa, NORTH CAROLINA
Endured 20 years between her first symptoms & receiving treatment for an eating disorder, TEXAS
Executive Director, Eating Disorders Resource Center (EDRC) who has battled anorexia nervosa for almost 50 years, CALIFORNIA
PhD student in Linguistics who was diagnosed with anorexia nervosa at 12 years of age, CALIFORNIA *Available for Spanish interviews
Student who lived with anorexia nervosa throughout most of her teens, CALIFORNIA
Student, avid hiker, & writer who battled anorexia nervosa for nine years, NEBRASKA
Nurse, eating disorder mentor, & avid hiker who has lived with three eating disorders for 23 years, MINNESOTA
Former ballerina, social worker & research associate who battled anorexia nervosa for 23 years, RHODE ISLAND
Mom who has waged a more than 30-year-long battle with anorexia nervosa, NEW JERSEY
Nursing student who has lived with anorexia nervosa, FLORIDA
VISION
INTERVIEWS
B-roll (broadcast) vision will be available for download on Tuesday, October 13
Phil Bridges
University of North Carolina (UNC), US
phil.bridges@unchealth.unc.edu
(919) 457-6347
Casey Adams Jones
C. Adams Agency, US
info@cadamsagency.com
(336) 906-5246
Kirsten Bruce & Mel Kheradi
VIVA! Communications, AUS
kirstenbruce@vivacommunications.com.au / mel@vivacommunications.com.au
+61 401 717 566 | +61 421 551 257
+61 2 9968 3741 | +61 2 9968 1604
References
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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.
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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.
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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.