At least the predisposition to anorexia and other eating disorders may run in families.
I admit to not knowing much about eating disorders – particularly when they focus on middle-aged and older adults. As I described this blog, my intent is to find out as much as I can and share what I learn with you so that at least there’s awareness.
I’m reading an article published in 2000 by the Society for Neruoscience. http://www.sfn.org. It may have been published in their journal which has some connection with Stanford University- not sure.
The author acknowledges that the pressure to be thin has had an impact on eating disorders and that physicians once blamed eating disorders solely on vanity. A change in attitude has taken place because research has discovered that there are biological factors also at work, a chemical malfunction. The research implicates – that’s the word used – genes and brain chemicals.
Seeking answers to why not everyone succumbed to the pressure of being thin, they suspected biology must have a role. Their research seems to back up this premise. For example, one large family study found that a mother or sister of a person with anorexia is about 8 times more likely to get anorexia than the general population. Moreover, eating disorders occur more often in relatives of individuals with eating disorders than in healthy individuals. The evidence suggests a genetic link.
One study found an altered gene involved with the activity of the brain chemical, serotonin. Other researchers weren’t able to verify this. Another study is analyzing the genetic makeup of hundreds of families that have at least two relatives with eating disorders to determine if there is a serotonin link or uncover other genetic errors. The thought is some people may inherit a fragile serotonin system.
I have yet to locate the results of these studies started more than 7 years ago but I’ll keep looking.
In the meantime, does that mean I get to blame my mother for all these eating disorders in our family because she, for sure, was continually dieting. I don’t remember her ever being too thin, however. But I do remember her always complaining how difficult it was to keep her weight down after menopause. And she was never more than a size 6 until her late 80s.
If one of you has information about eating disorders developing in families, I’m hoping you’ll share it with us. It does make sense you know, especially if you think of the disorder as a type of addiction. Addictions also tend to run in families.
Take care
Ruthan Brodsky
Comments