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Genetic and environmental components to self-induced vomiting.
Claire M Peterson1, Jessica H Baker2, Laura M Thornton2
1Division of Behavioral Medicine and Clinical Psychology, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, Ohio.
The International Journal of Eating Disorders
|December 30, 2015
Summary
Genetic and environmental factors influence self-induced vomiting (SIV) initiation. The same genetic factors influence regular SIV behaviors, but environmental factors play a larger role in regular SIV, suggesting targeted interventions.
Area of Science:
- Behavioral Genetics
- Eating Disorders Research
- Twin Studies
Background:
- Self-induced vomiting (SIV) is a behavior used for weight control.
- Understanding the interplay of genetic and environmental factors in SIV is crucial for developing effective interventions.
Purpose of the Study:
- To examine the genetic and environmental factors influencing the initiation of self-induced vomiting (SIV).
- To investigate the genetic and environmental factors contributing to regular SIV behaviors for weight control.
- To assess the overlap and distinctiveness of factors influencing SIV initiation versus regular SIV.
Main Methods:
- Utilized data from 3,942 monozygotic and 2,790 dizygotic twin pairs (ages 20-47) from the Swedish Twin study of Adults: Genes and Environment.
- Employed a causal-contingent-common pathway model to analyze the influence of genetic and environmental factors on SIV initiation and regular SIV behaviors.
Main Results:
- Genetic and individual-specific environmental factors were associated with SIV initiation.
- The genetic factors influencing regular SIV behaviors were identical to those influencing SIV initiation.
- Individual-specific environmental factors, independent of SIV initiation, significantly influenced regular SIV behaviors.
Conclusions:
- Findings suggest a continuum between SIV initiation and regular SIV behaviors, indicating shared underlying liabilities.
- The absence of unique genetic factors and the prominence of individual-specific environmental factors for regular SIV highlight the critical role of environment in eating disorder symptomatology.
- Environmental interventions are recommended for preventing the development of regular SIV behaviors.