Latest News: 23-02-2007
Anorexia Nervosa Genetics
A new study has found evidence there is a link between anorexia nervosa and genetics.
While images of thin models, the family environment and societal pressures have long been regarded as contributory factors for anorexia nervosa; there is new evidence to suggest the eating disorder is linked to genetic factors.
A 10-year international study of anorexia, known as the ‘Genetics of Anorexia Nervosa collaboration’, and funded by the National Institutes of Health, has been carried out in eight North American and two European cities.
Families in which two or more biologically related members have or have had anorexia were recruited for the research. Psychological information has been collected from them along with blood samples and medical histories.
Craig Johnson, from Laureate Psychiatric Clinic and Hospital, Tulsa is one of the lead researchers in the study and has stated a person is 12 times more likely to develop anorexia if they have a family member who has suffered from the disease. He is also quoted as saying “Genetics loads the gun, the environment pulls the trigger”.
It appears anorexia results from a genetic predisposition, and is possibly triggered by cultural pressures to be thin through diet and exercise.
Knowing that genetics plays a role in anorexia could not only help to identify people who are at a higher risk of developing the disease, but could help in the development of future preventative measures and treatments.
Study sites for the Genetics of Anorexia Nervosa collaboration include: Pittsburgh, New York, Philadelphia, Baltimore, Los Angeles, Fargo, Tulsa, Toronto, Munich and London.
For more information about the study of anorexia nervosa in families visit http://www.wpic.pitt.edu/research/angenetics/