Publications (14) View all
-
Article: Retrospective maternal report of early eating behaviours in anorexia nervosa.
[show abstract] [hide abstract]
ABSTRACT: This exploratory study assessed whether maternal recall of childhood feeding and eating practices differed across anorexia nervosa (AN) subtypes. Participants were 325 women from the Genetics of Anorexia Nervosa study whose mothers completed a childhood feeding and eating questionnaire. Multinomial logistic regression analyses were used to predict AN subtype from measures related to childhood eating: (i) infant feeding (breastfed, feeding schedule, age of solid food introduction), (ii) childhood picky eating (picky eating before age 1 year and between ages one and five) and (iii) infant gastrointestinal problems (vomiting and colic). Results revealed no significant differences in retrospective maternal report of childhood feeding and eating practices among AN subtypes.European Eating Disorders Review 08/2011; 20(2):111-5. · 1.38 Impact Factor -
Article: Genetic variance of body mass index from childhood to early adulthood.
[show abstract] [hide abstract]
ABSTRACT: Research has been conducted to determine genetic and environmental components of body mass index (BMI). The portion of phenotypic correlation attributed to genetic, and environmental effects, the effects of puberty stage on BMI means and variances, and consistency of parent/twin report remain largely unknown. The current study seeks to address these questions using four waves of data from 1480 twin pairs in the Swedish Twin Registry: Swedish Twin Study of Child and Adolescent Development. Two Cholesky decomposition models were fit (parental and twin report). For wave 2, a univariate model was fit allowing puberty stage moderation. Parent/twin concordance of reported BMI is high. Genetic factors are largely responsible for phenotypic correlation: puberty stage has a significant effect on BMI variance, with higher genetic variance at more advanced puberty stages. Results provide additional information about this phenotype and suggest early adolescent and parental reports for BMI are roughly equivalent.Behavior Genetics 08/2011; 42(1):86-95. · 2.52 Impact Factor -
Article: Anorexia nervosa and generalized anxiety disorder: further explorations of the relation between anxiety and body mass index.
[show abstract] [hide abstract]
ABSTRACT: We explore comorbidity of anorexia nervosa (AN) and generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) and their relation with body mass index (BMI) and evaluate the presence of fasting and excessive exercise which both have anxiolytic and weight loss effects. All participants were female: 32 with AN only, 607 with GAD only, 22 with AN and GAD (AN+GAD), and 5424 with no history of AN or GAD (referent) from the Swedish Twin study of Adults: Genes and Environment (STAGE). Lowest adult BMI differed significantly (p<.001) and was lower in those with AN+GAD than those with AN only (p<.029). Those with AN+GAD were most likely to endorse fasting and excessive exercise, followed by women with AN only, women with GAD only, and the referent. Comorbid AN and GAD may be a particularly pernicious presentation influencing both BMI and proclivity to engage in behaviors such as fasting and exercise that serve both weight loss and anxiolytic goals.Journal of anxiety disorders 06/2011; 25(5):727-30. · 2.68 Impact Factor -
Article: Generalized anxiety disorder and anorexia nervosa: evidence of shared genetic variation.
[show abstract] [hide abstract]
ABSTRACT: Previous studies have indicated a high prevalence of generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) in women with anorexia nervosa (AN). However, the shared genetic and environmental components of these disorders have not been explored. This study seeks to elucidate the shared genetic and environmental components between GAD and AN. Using 2,083 women from the Virginia Adult Twin Study of Psychiatric and Substance Use Disorders, structural equation modeling was used to obtain maximum likelihood estimates of the environmental genetic, shared and unique environmental components in 496 women with GAD, 47 women with AN, 43 women with GAD + AN, and 1,497 women without GAD or AN. Results show that the heritability of GAD was 0.32 and AN was 0.31, and the genetic correlation between the two disorders was 0.20, indicating a modest genetic contribution to their comorbidity. Unique environment estimate was 0.68 for GAD and 0.69 for AN, with a unique environmental correlation of 0.18. All common environmental parameters were estimated at zero. The modest shared genetic and unique environmental liability to both disorders may help explain the high prevalence of GAD in women with AN. This knowledge could help in the treatment and prevention of comorbid disorders.Depression and Anxiety 05/2011; 28(8):728-33. · 4.18 Impact Factor -
Article: Dietary supplement use immediately before and during pregnancy in Norwegian women with eating disorders.
[show abstract] [hide abstract]
ABSTRACT: Many pregnant women use dietary supplements. Little is known about dietary supplement use during pregnancy in women with eating disorders. We examined dietary supplement use in 37,307 pregnant women, from the Norwegian Mother and Child Cohort Study. Dietary supplement use during pregnancy was as follows: 91.2% of women with anorexia nervosa, 92.2% of women with bulimia nervosa, 93.2% of women with eating disorder not otherwise specified-purging subtype (EDNOS-P), 90.6% of women with binge eating disorder, and 93.5% of the women without eating disorders. Between group differences were not statistically significant. After adjusting for covariates, women with EDNOS-P were more likely to take iron containing supplements (p ≤ .04). Overall dietary supplement use in this sample is similar in women with and without eating disorders.International Journal of Eating Disorders 05/2011; 44(4):325-32. · 2.95 Impact Factor
