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Published on: May 10, 2022
Genetic risk factors for disordered eating in adolescent males and females
Jessica H Baker1, Hermine H Maes, Lauren Lissner
1Department of Psychology, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA 23284, USA. bakerjh@vcu.edu
Abstract:
The etiologic role of genetic and environmental factors on disordered eating was examined in a sample of 15- to 17-year-old female-female, male-male, and opposite-sex twin pairs. Also assessed was whether a single factor is underlying 3 facets (body dissatisfaction, drive for thinness, bulimia) of disordered eating, including the possible importance of sex differences. Univariate model-fitting analyses indicated that genetic factors are more important for girls and environment more important for boys for body dissatisfaction and drive for thinness. A multivariate common factor analysis indicated that a single factor accounted for the association among these 3 facets of disordered eating in both sexes. However, only 50% of the genetic risk for this factor is shared between the sexes.
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