Researchers are trying to pinpoint genetic factors that may place someone at risk of developing an eating disorder, the Guardian reports.
Among adults in the US, there is a lifetime prevalence of 2.8 percent for binge-eating disorder, 1.0 percent for bulimia, and 0.6 percent for anorexia, according to the National Institute of Mental Health. While psychological risk factors such as self-esteem are often studied in relation to eating disorder risk, researchers from University College London are examining the influence of genetics and childhood eating patterns on disease risk using twin data, the Guardian says.
"We are trying to look for parental feeding practices that predict a really healthy relationship with food — plus genetic susceptibility and how that affects appetite — to try to identify the best strategies parents can use to help their child develop a healthy relationship with food," study leader Clare Llewellyn from UCL tells the Guardian.