BEGIN Study

About us

The BEGIN study aims to understand the genetic factors associated with binge-eating disorder and bulimia nervosa so we can develop better treatments for the millions of people who suffer from these illnesses.

You may be eligible to participate in the BEGIN study if you:
1. Have a current experience with binge eating disorder (BED) or bulimia nervosa (BN)
2. Are over 18 years old and living in the United States
3. Have an iPhone (model 5 or newer)

Here’s what participation in the BEGIN study entails:

1. Use the Recovery Record app on your iPhone to record your mood, food, and goals for 30 days.
2. Complete a few questionnaires about your mental health and health history.
3. Provide a fast, painless sample of your saliva. To do this, we will mail you a free saliva collection kit that includes a postage prepaid return envelope so that sending your saliva sample to us is completely free for you. (This comes in a box sent to your house via FedEx).
4. Provide a quick, painless sample of your bodily bacteria. To do this, we will mail you a free microbiome collection kit that includes a postage prepaid return envelope so that sending your microbiome sample to us is completely free for you. (This comes in the same box sent to your house using FedEx). BEGIN study participants will have access to their personalized gut microbiome results (retail value $149) via study partner uBiome.

Once you enroll in the BEGIN study using your iPhone, we will send you a “BEGIN box” via FedEx that will include everything that you need to participate in the BEGIN study.

Do you have any questions, concerns, or feedback? We’d love to hear them! Email us at [email protected] or give us a call at 919-445-0319.

This study is overseen by the Institutional Review Board at the University of North Carolina (IRB study number 17-0242)