![]() ![]() For example, Wade and colleagues (2001) found a heritability estimate of 48% unlike the 76% reported by Klump and colleagues (2001).Whilst the heritability estimate consensus for this area is 50-60%, the large confidence intervals reported by smaller studies mark a need for future genetic studies with greater power. However, this estimate ranges widely across research. In other words, it is estimated that around 55% of the variance across individual scores for anorexia nervosa are due to genetic differences between individuals. Heritability: Heritability (the extent to which individual differences may be explained by genetic differences) estimates for anorexia nervosa are around 55% (Bulik et al, 2006). The lower prevalence rates measured among males could be related to stigma preventing males from coming forward and discussing their experiences (see Michela’s earlier blog post).Īge of onset: Symptoms typically first present during adolescence, however symptoms are also often first seen during young adulthood. In fact, it is thought about a quarter of those with an eating disorder are male. However, mental illness does not discriminate, and can affect anyone regardless of age, gender, or cultural background. Eating disorders most commonly affect young women aged 12-20, with a 10:1 female-to-male ratio (American Psychiatric Association, 2013). The reported lifetime prevalence rates (meaning how likely it is that you will experience something in your life) for anorexia nervosa in females ranged from 1.7% to 3.6%. ![]() Lifetime prevalence: Dahlgren and colleagues (2017) conducted a systematic literature review of 19 papers published between 20, which investigated the prevalence of DSM-5 based eating disorders. Such severe starvation also has extreme physical effects on the body, including reduced muscle and bone strength, dizzy spells, disrupted menstrual cycles in females, and heart failure – causing anorexia to have one of the highest psychiatric mortality rates ( Newbridge Treatment for Eating Disorders). The final essential diagnostic feature is a pathological fear of gaining weight, with a disturbance in self-perceived shape unduly affecting the individual’s self-esteem. As well as restricting the amount of food intake, individuals may maintain their low weight by other mechanisms, such as over exercising (known as the “restricting subtype”) or experiencing cycles of bingeing and purging (known as the “binge-eating/purging subtype”). Types of eating disorders: Anorexia NervosaĪnorexia nervosa involves maintaining a significantly low body weight by limiting energy intake. The three main types of eating disorders in the Diagnostic Statistical Manual of mental disorders 5th edition (DSM-5 American Psychiatric Association, 2013) are presented below. This could mean dramatically limiting the amount of food eaten, eating very large quantities all at once, or using unhealthy mechanisms to avoid weight gain, such as excessive exercise or misusing laxatives. The way these manifest in a person’s phenotype can vary a lot. An eating disorder is a serious mental illness that involves persistent disordered eating behaviours. For example, Christmas is a time in which we may overindulge and later feel guilty about this, however this would not necessarily qualify for a disordered eating diagnosis. What is the difference between ‘normal’ eating behaviours and a diagnosis of an eating disorder?Įating behaviours are extremely dynamic, with what is considered ‘normal’ eating varying both over time and between different social contexts. When do these patterns become an issue which requires clinical attention? In this blog Jenny and Megan outline the three most common eating disorders, along with their prevalence and heritability. The interactions of these factors lead to fluctuating patterns in eating behaviours. They are a result of complex interactions between innate biological factors (metabolism, brain reward processing in response to food), current state (adolescence, pregnancy, age) and the social environment (availability of different foods). Eating disorders are complex, debilitating disorders which are commonly misunderstood. ![]()
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