On May 19, 2025, researchers at the Broad Institute Ben Neale and Mark Daly are co-leading the study, which allows people across the US to sign up to have their DNA analyzed as part of this effort.  The scientists are recruiting volunteers with eating disorders to study their DNA and look for genetic factors that could point towards new treatments.

The team aims to collect and study DNA from 6,000 newly recruited people that will contribute to a larger study goal of 20,000 people — half with eating disorders and half without — to uncover the genetic underpinnings of anorexia nervosa and other eating disorders. The findings could shed light on the biological basis of these conditions and help scientists develop better diagnostics and treatments. The team has already recruited almost 3,000 participants from all 50 states.

Eating disorders run in families and have a strong heritable component, especially anorexia nervosa, but the genetics underlying these conditions are not fully understood. Past research has pinpointed a few genetic factors, but scientists need to analyze DNA from thousands of people with these conditions to find more genetic risk factors and gain a deeper understanding of the biological mechanisms driving these disorders.

Eating disorders are estimated to affect nearly 30 million Americans, although most aren’t receiving treatment. In the new direct-to-participant Genetics of Eating Disorders Study, researchers are recruiting US-based participants who are 18 and older through social media to find volunteers who might not be getting treatment for an eating disorder, whether because they live in rural areas far from clinics, cannot take time from work to get treatment, or because of the stigma surrounding eating disorders.

To recruit a wide range of volunteers, the study’s website is offered in both English and Spanish and allows anyone to check to see if they’re eligible — regardless of whether they’ve received a diagnosis from a doctor.