Mersey Care supports new study exploring monitoring of eating disorders

Mersey Care and the Mental Health Research for Innovation Centre (M-RIC) are collaborating with Univa Health on a new landmark clinical study which aims to investigate the use of technology in eating disorder services. 

The study, titled ‘The Use of Smart Devices in Capturing Biomarkers in Eating Disorders’, will monitor eating disorders through non-invasive, data-driven digital biomarkers.

Mersey Care is one of nine NHS hospital trusts innvolved in the study, which also includes M-RIC. The aim is to collect data from a broad population spanning children, adolescents, and adults with varying severities of eating disorders to ensure inclusion and diversity is at the heart of the study. 

Professor Dan Joyce, Director of Research and Innovation at Mersey Care and a work package lead within M-RIC, said: “This study is about much more than a new monitoring tool. It’s about building a foundational platform that will change how we understand, monitor, and treat eating disorders. Our goal is to reduce the burden on patients and provide clinicians with more timely, accurate and data-driven insights to improve care.

“It’s projects like this that are the life blood of M-RIC. By collecting rich data from such a diverse group of patients, we’re not just developing a technology - we’re building a clinical evidence base that could transform the standard of care for eating disorders, making it both more effective and inclusive.”

Professor Joyce acted as chief investigator for the smart devices study. The study aligns with M-RIC’s research work package on child and adolescent digital mental health and mental health avatars in which researchers examine how a variety of different digital tools can be used to support children and adolescents experiencing mental health challenges, such as eating disorders.

‘The Use of Smart Devices in Capturing Biomarkers in Eating Disorders’ will examine how smartphone technology can be used to create digital biomarkers, which are methods for measuring physiological and behavioural features, such as weight changes or mood. These can be used to predict health-related outcomes which can help clinicians better understand patient’s physical and mental health.  

Historically, methods of monitoring eating disorders can be perceived as invasive and distressing for patients. By collecting these features using non-contact technology, the study offers more personalised care, while reducing the strain on both patients and clinical resources.

Rich Andrews, CEO and Co-Founder of Univa Health said: “We believe in harnessing technology to bridge the gap between possibility and practicality in healthcare. By leveraging smart devices to create real-time, data-driven insights, we’re breaking down barriers to personalised care. Our goal is to give patients greater agency in their recovery journey while equipping clinicians with the tools they need to make timely, informed decisions."

Dr Ashish Kumar, a Consultant Psychiatrist at Mersey Care and work package lead at M-RIC, is spearheading the implementation of the study within children’s eating disorder services at the Trust sites in Warrington, Halton, Knowsley and St Helens.