Writing Hand Preference and Eating Disorder Symptoms in Adolescence: Findings From a UK Birth Cohort Study

Background: Hand-preference has implications for understanding brain organisation. Research has examined neurological and psychological conditions by hand-preference, but the association between hand-preference and eating disorders (ED) has only been explored in small adult samples. Purpose: This study (n = 10,950) explored the association between writing-hand preference and ED symptoms in adolescence, using a nationally representative cohort of children born in the UK in 2000-2002. Methods: At age 14 years, the cohort children self-reported hand-preference for writing and ED symptoms (exercise and dieting behaviours and weight dissatisfaction). Results: There was a small association between left-hand preference for writing and weight dissatisfaction after adjustment for confounders including sex, body mass index (BMI), socioeconomic and pubertal status, and ethnicity. There was no other difference in ED symptoms by writing-hand preference. Conclusions: The finding suggesting that left-handed adolescents may be more likely to report dissatisfaction with their weight after adjustment for BMI warrants further investigation.