Introduction: Eating disorders (EDs), including anorexia nervosa (AN), bulimia nervosa (BN), and binge eating disorder (BED), present significant challenges due to their multifactorial aetiology. Genetic studies, particularly Genome-wide Association Studies (GWAS), offer a promising avenue for unravelling the genetic underpinnings of these disorders. The Eating Disorders Genetics Initiative (EDGI) aims to elucidate genetic and environmental risk factors for EDs, with a focus on AN, BN, and BED.
Aims: EDGI aimed to recruit 3500 New Zealanders over 15 years with a lifetime history of AN, BN, or BED. The initiative sought to collect comprehensive phenotypic data and saliva samples for GWAS analysis.
Methods: Recruitment primarily occurred through social media campaigns and the https://edgi.nz platform. Eligible participants completed pre-screening surveys and online REDCap surveys to provide detailed phenotype data. Participants who completed essential data modules received saliva sampling kits for at-home collection, returned via preaddressed courier envelopes.
Results: EDGI successfully recruited 5006 participants from New Zealand, surpassing the target. Additionally, 3460 participants provided saliva samples, representing 99% of the New Zealand target. International recruitment yielded 17,991 participants. Participants were predominantly female of European/NZ European ancestry, with a majority reporting a lifetime history of AN.
Conclusions: EDGI achieved its recruitment aims, assembling one of the largest samples for comprehensive phenotyping and genetic analysis. Data cleaning and genotyping are underway for GWAS and related analyses. Plans for increasing sample numbers and scope in a new study(EDGI2) reflect a commitment to advancing understanding and treatment of EDs globally.