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A preliminary population-based twin study of self-reported eating disorder

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  09 April 2001

L. S. KORTEGAARD ,
K. HOERDER ,
J. JOERGENSEN ,
C. GILLBERG  and
K. O. KYVIK
L. S. KORTEGAARD
Affiliation:
Department of Child Psychiatry, Institute of Clinical Research, Faculty of Medical Sciences, University of Southern Denmark, Odense University, Odense, Denmark
K. HOERDER
Affiliation:
Department of Child Psychiatry, Institute of Clinical Research, Faculty of Medical Sciences, University of Southern Denmark, Odense University, Odense, Denmark
J. JOERGENSEN
Affiliation:
Department of Child Psychiatry, Institute of Clinical Research, Faculty of Medical Sciences, University of Southern Denmark, Odense University, Odense, Denmark
C. GILLBERG
Affiliation:
Department of Child Psychiatry, Institute of Clinical Research, Faculty of Medical Sciences, University of Southern Denmark, Odense University, Odense, Denmark
K. O. KYVIK
Affiliation:
Department of Child Psychiatry, Institute of Clinical Research, Faculty of Medical Sciences, University of Southern Denmark, Odense University, Odense, Denmark
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Abstract

Background. Twin studies have concluded that there is a substantial genetic contribution to the aetiology of eating disorders. The aim of the present study was to estimate the genetic contribution to the aetiology of self-reported eating disorders in a sample of representative twins.

Method. A population cohort of 34142 young Danish twins was screened for eating disorders by a mailed questionnaire.

Results. Concordance rates differed significantly across monozygotic and dizygotic twin pairs for broadly defined self-reported anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa. Heritability estimates of 0·48, 0·52 and 0·61 respectively were estimated for narrow and broad definitions of self-reported anorexia nervosa and for self-reported bulimia nervosa.

Conclusions. There is a genetic contribution to the aetiology of self-reported eating disorders in the general population. The relationship between self-reported and clinical eating disorder remains to be examined.

Type
Brief Communication
Information
Psychological Medicine , Volume 31 , Issue 2 , February 2001 , pp. 361 - 365
Copyright
© 2001 Cambridge University Press

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