Eating Disorders Clinical Research Network
NCT Number: NCT06537895
Acronym: EDCRN
Status: NOT_YET_RECRUITING
Study Type: OBSERVATIONAL
Conditions: Eating Disorders
Interventions: OTHER: EDCRN questionnaires
Sponsor: King's College London
Collaborators: South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust|Imperial College London|University College, London|Oxford Health NHS Foundation Trust|NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde|Birmingham Women's and Children's NHS Foundation Trust
Sex: ALL
Age: CHILD, ADULT, OLDER_ADULT
Enrollment: 12000
Study Design: Observational Model: |Time Perspective: p
Start Date: 2024-10-01
Completion Date: 2026-10-29

Summary:
UK Eating Disorder services are facing unprecedented demand, with effective service delivery hampered by inadequate resources, fragmented services and variable care pathways. Individuals with eating disorders, families and clinicians all agree on the critical need to improve care pathways and treatment, leading to better outcomes.

Eating disorders are serious, complex conditions influenced by a blend of biological, psychological, and environmental factors. The approach of this project is grounded in the "biopsychosocial" model. Recently, anorexia research confirms a genetic component, with biological, metabolic, and psychological mechanisms at play. Further biological research across eating disorders could allow a better understanding of the mechanisms underlying eating disorder development and better, more personalised treatments.

This project will test the feasibility of establishing a UK-wide NHS research network spanning child and adult eating disorder services to enable a step change in the ability to conduct eating disorder research. It will help address fragmentation and facilitate novel biological, psychological, and social research collaborations. The data the investigators gather will be open to all researchers for data analyses, and the collaborations established will form a collaborative network to enable future clinical trials, experimental medicine and psychology.

The study will be conducted at child and adult eating disorder services who opt to join the Network. Participants will be patients receiving treatment for an eating disorder at one of the participating services, and their parents/guardians if applicable.

Participants will complete questionnaires and have blood and other physical tests as specified in the EDCRN dataset. The study will last until 29th October 2026 (the end of the current funding period) and/or when a participant is discharged from treatment, whichever is sooner. For participants discharged before the study ends, there will be an opportunity for patients to complete optional follow-up questionnaires on a periodic basis.

Primary Outcome Measures: EDCRN dataset, The existence of a well-described dataset (maintained by at \>50% eating disorder services across the UK) of eating disorder presentation, treatment, outcomes, demographics, social risk factors, and blood test results which can be accessed (with appropriate permissions) by researchers and others for the purposes of addressing novel research questions and facilitating service improvement efforts.

The EDCRN dataset comprises the following parameters:

* ED Behaviours/cognitions
* Depression
* Anxiety
* Autism
* OCD
* Perfectionism
* Emotional regulation
* Psychosocial impairment
* Adverse experiences
* Self-injurious behaviour
* Food insecurity
* Physical/somatic symptoms
* ADHD
* Alcohol use
* PTSD symptoms
* Self-administered comorbidity
* Weight stigma
* Treatment experience
* Comorbidities
* Caregiver impact
* Weight history
* Muscle power
* Endocrine function
* Liver function
* Cardiac function
* Electrolytes
* Bone health
* Demographics, 29th October 2026
Secondary Outcome Measures: Data on treatment effects, Data which provides insights into treatment moderators and mediators for different demographic groups., 29th October 2026|Genetic Biomarkers, Indicators of genetic biomarkers of treatment response., 29th October 2026|Socio-economic influences, Data which indicates socio-economic factors (e.g. the local food environment) influencing ED development, maintenance and outcomes., 29th October 2026