Genetic research has changed how eating disorders are understood, first for anorexia nervosa and now for binge eating disorder. Large-scale genetic studies have identified risk factors that fall across two domains. For anorexia nervosa, the signal lands partly on psychiatric traits including anxiety and obsessionality, and partly on metabolic traits including how the body regulates insulin and blood sugar. Body composition plays a role in both anorexia nervosa and binge eating disorder. Together, these findings support a model in which eating disorders arise from the convergence of psychiatric vulnerability and metabolic predisposition, and not from psychological factors alone.

This talk closes on what these findings mean for families. Genetic evidence identifies biological pathways that treatments can target, and grounds eating disorders firmly in the body as well as the mind. It is important to understand, however, that this research describes populations rather than individuals. It does not, and cannot, predict who will develop an eating disorder or who will recover. What it does do is give us a clearer and more complete picture of these illnesses, and that is meaningful for every family navigating them.

Gerome Breen is Professor of Psychiatric Genetics at King’s College London, Academic Director of King’s Genomics and Chair of the NIHR Mental Health BioResource. He leads EDGI-UK, the UK arm of the Klarman Family Foundation Genetics of Eating Disorders Program coordinated by the Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, and the Eating Disorders Clinical Research Network, which connects NHS eating disorder services so that people in treatment can take part in research wherever they live. His group runs long-read sequencing studies of anorexia nervosa and binge eating disorder at King’s Genomics, looking for the parts of the genome that older methods could not read, and works with the Psychiatric Genomics Consortium Eating Disorders Working Group.

Alongside this he co-founded the GLAD Study of anxiety and depression, one of the largest mental health cohorts in the world, and researches how genetic differences shape response to psychiatric medication. People with lived experience and their families shape the design of every study his group runs.

Eating disorders in boys and men are far more common than most people realize, yet they often go unnoticed because they don’t match the stereotypes many families expect. In boys, disordered eating can hide behind behaviors that may appear healthy, disciplined, or even admirable: “clean eating,” intense exercise, muscle-building goals, or a strong focus on sports and performance. As a result, parents and caregivers may miss early warning signs or unintentionally reinforce harmful patterns without realizing it.

This webinar will help parents better understand how eating disorders can show up differently in boys and men, why these struggles are so often overlooked, and what emotional and behavioral signs families should pay attention to. We’ll explore the unique pressures boys face around body image, masculinity, fitness culture, and achievement, as well as the barriers that can make it difficult for them to ask for help.

Designed for parents and caregivers, this conversation focuses on practical insight, and participants will leave with concrete tools for recognizing concerning behaviors, starting supportive conversations, and creating an environment where boys feel safe seeking help without shame or stigma. Above all, this webinar aims to challenge outdated assumptions and help families feel more confident in identifying and supporting eating disorders in boys and young men with compassion and understanding.

Dr. Roberto Olivardia is a Clinical Psychologist and Lecturer in the Department of Psychiatry at Harvard Medical School.

He maintains a private practice in Lexington, Massachusetts, where he specializes in the treatment of ADHD, Body Dysmorphic Disorder, and Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder. He is a recognized expert in the field of eating disorders in boys and men, and his work in this area spans over 30 years. He is co-author of The Adonis Complex, a book which details the various manifestations of body image problems in males, and has published research on this topic in various peer-reviewed scientific journals. He is on the Scientific Advisory Board for ADDitude, a publication and website serving the needs of individuals with ADHD and Learning Disabilities, sits on the Professional Advisory Boards for Children and Adults with ADHD (CHADD) and the Attention Deficit Disorder Association (ADDA), and is a Featured Expert for Understood. He presents at many conferences, podcasts and webinars around the country.