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Pattern of birth in restrictive and bulimic eating disorders
Eva M Peñas-Lledó1, Laura Rodriguez Santos, Francisco J Vaz Leal
1Department of Pharmacology and Psychiatry, Medical School, University of Extremadura, Avenue of Elvas s/n, 06071 Badajoz, Extremadura, Spain. elledo@unex.es
Objective:
To determine whether different eating disorders are associated with being born at different points in the year. Based on previous research, it was hypothesised that being born during warm months (June-August) is likely to be associated with restrictive anorexia, rather than bulimic disorders (bulimia nervosa, binge-purge anorexia).
Method:
Case notes from 105 eating-disordered women were used to yield dates of birth and diagnosis. Associations were calculated between diagnostic group and birth period (month, quarter of year, high-risk quarter).
Results:
Restrictive anorexics were significantly more likely than the bulimics (42.6% vs. 24.1%) to be born during the warmest quarter (June-August) than during the remainder of the year.
Conclusions:
This preliminary study suggests that being born during warmer periods may form a small risk factor for the development of a restrictive eating disorder. Further research is suggested to test and extend the hypothesis.