Camilla A Wiklund1, Ralf Kuja-Halkola1, Laura M Thornton2, Christopher Hübel3, Virpi Leppä1, Cynthia M Bulik4. 1. Department of Medical Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden. 2. Department of Psychiatry, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA. 3. Department of Medical Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden; Social, Genetic & Developmental Psychiatry Centre, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience, King's College London, London, UK. 4. Department of Medical Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden; Department of Psychiatry, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA; Department of Nutrition, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA. Electronic address: cynthia_bulik@med.unc.edu.
Abstract
OBJECTIVES: Gastrointestinal problems are common in all eating disorders; however, the extent to which these problems predate the onset of eating disorders is not clear. We explored longitudinal associations between childhood gastrointestinal problems and adolescent disordered eating, and assessed whether observed associations are potentially causal or due to familial confounding factors. METHODS: Data from a population-based Swedish twin sample were used to investigate associations between parent- and self-reported protracted constipation and diarrhea in childhood and adolescence, and later disordered eating, measured by the Eating Disorders Inventory-2 (EDI). Linear regression models were used to investigate the associations. Possible familial confounding was explored by using a within-twin pair analysis. RESULTS: We found that those who reported a history of constipation at age 15 scored 5.55 and 5.04 points higher, respectively, on the EDI total score at age 15 and 18, compared with those without constipation. Those reporting a history of diarrhea at age 15 scored 5.15 points higher, and the group reporting both problems scored 9.52 points higher on the EDI total score at age 15 than those reporting no problems. We observed that the association between constipation and disordered eating was attenuated in the within-twin pair analysis, but remained positive. CONCLUSIONS: Gastrointestinal problems in childhood and adolescence are significantly associated with disordered eating. Associations were partly due to familial confounding, but might also be consistent with a causal interpretation. Clinicians should be aware of the increased risk of disordered eating when following children and adolescents who present with gastrointestinal problems.
OBJECTIVES: Gastrointestinal problems are common in all eating disorders; however, the extent to which these problems predate the onset of eating disorders is not clear. We explored longitudinal associations between childhood gastrointestinal problems and adolescent disordered eating, and assessed whether observed associations are potentially causal or due to familial confounding factors. METHODS: Data from a population-based Swedish twin sample were used to investigate associations between parent- and self-reported protracted constipation and diarrhea in childhood and adolescence, and later disordered eating, measured by the Eating Disorders Inventory-2 (EDI). Linear regression models were used to investigate the associations. Possible familial confounding was explored by using a within-twin pair analysis. RESULTS: We found that those who reported a history of constipation at age 15 scored 5.55 and 5.04 points higher, respectively, on the EDI total score at age 15 and 18, compared with those without constipation. Those reporting a history of diarrhea at age 15 scored 5.15 points higher, and the group reporting both problems scored 9.52 points higher on the EDI total score at age 15 than those reporting no problems. We observed that the association between constipation and disordered eating was attenuated in the within-twin pair analysis, but remained positive. CONCLUSIONS: Gastrointestinal problems in childhood and adolescence are significantly associated with disordered eating. Associations were partly due to familial confounding, but might also be consistent with a causal interpretation. Clinicians should be aware of the increased risk of disordered eating when following children and adolescents who present with gastrointestinal problems.
Authors: Bingdong Song; Weirong Hu; Wanxia Hu; Rong Yang; Danlin Li; Chunyu Guo; Zhengmei Xia; Jie Hu; Fangbiao Tao; Jun Fang; Shichen Zhang Journal: Int J Environ Res Public Health Date: 2020-03-23 Impact factor: 3.390