Shared and unique genetic and environmental influences on binge eating and night eating: a Swedish twin study. 2010

Tammy L Root, and Laura M Thornton, and Ann Karin Lindroos, and Albert J Stunkard, and Paul Lichtenstein, and Nancy L Pedersen, and Finn Rasmussen, and Cynthia M Bulik
Department of Psychiatry, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, NC 27599-7160, United States.

We applied twin methodology to female and male twin pairs to further understand the nature of the relation between two behaviors associated with eating disorders-binge eating (BE) and night eating (NE) in an effort to determine the extent of overlap of genetic and environmental factors influencing liability to these behaviors. We calculated heritability estimates for males and females for each behavior and applied bivariate twin modeling to the female data to estimate the genetic and environmental correlation between these two traits. Data on BE and NE were derived from the Swedish Twin study of Adults: Genes and Environment (STAGE) of the Swedish Twin Registry (STR; N=11,604). Prevalence estimates revealed sex differences with females more likely to endorse BE and males more likely to endorse NE. In males, we were only able to estimate univariate heritabilities due to small sample sizes: The heritability for BE was 0.74 [95% CI=(0.36, 0.93)] and for NE was 0.44 [95% CI=(0.24, 0.61)]. The best fitting bivariate model for females included additive genetic and unique environmental factors as well as the genetic correlation between BE and NE. Heritability estimates were 0.70 [95% CI=(0.26, 0.77)] for BE and 0.35 [95% CI=(0.17, 0.52)] for NE. The genetic correlation, 0.66 [95% CI=(0.48, 0.96)] suggests considerable overlap in the genetic factors influencing liability to BE and NE. In females, there is considerable overlap in the genetic factors that contribute to these traits, but the incomplete overlap allows for the influence of independent genetic and environmental factors as well. BE and NE in females are therefore best conceptualized as related but not identical traits.

UI MeSH Term Description Entries
D008297 Male Males
D008875 Middle Aged An adult aged 45 - 64 years. Middle Age
D011795 Surveys and Questionnaires Collections of data obtained from voluntary subjects. The information usually takes the form of answers to questions, or suggestions. Community Survey,Nonrespondent,Questionnaire,Questionnaires,Respondent,Survey,Survey Method,Survey Methods,Surveys,Baseline Survey,Community Surveys,Methodology, Survey,Nonrespondents,Questionnaire Design,Randomized Response Technique,Repeated Rounds of Survey,Respondents,Survey Methodology,Baseline Surveys,Design, Questionnaire,Designs, Questionnaire,Methods, Survey,Questionnaire Designs,Questionnaires and Surveys,Randomized Response Techniques,Response Technique, Randomized,Response Techniques, Randomized,Survey, Baseline,Survey, Community,Surveys, Baseline,Surveys, Community,Techniques, Randomized Response
D012042 Registries The systems and processes involved in the establishment, support, management, and operation of registers, e.g., disease registers. Parish Registers,Population Register,Parish Register,Population Registers,Register, Parish,Register, Population,Registers, Parish,Registers, Population,Registry
D002032 Bulimia Eating an excess amount of food in a short period of time, as seen in the disorder of BULIMIA NERVOSA. It is caused by an abnormal craving for food, or insatiable hunger also known as "ox hunger". Binge Eating,Bulimias,Eating, Binge
D004200 Diseases in Twins Disorders affecting TWINS, one or both, at any age. Diseases in Twin,Twin, Diseases in,Twins, Diseases in,in Twin, Diseases,in Twins, Diseases
D004435 Eating The consumption of edible substances. Dietary Intake,Feed Intake,Food Intake,Macronutrient Intake,Micronutrient Intake,Nutrient Intake,Nutritional Intake,Ingestion,Dietary Intakes,Feed Intakes,Intake, Dietary,Intake, Feed,Intake, Food,Intake, Macronutrient,Intake, Micronutrient,Intake, Nutrient,Intake, Nutritional,Macronutrient Intakes,Micronutrient Intakes,Nutrient Intakes,Nutritional Intakes
D005247 Feeding Behavior Behavioral responses or sequences associated with eating including modes of feeding, rhythmic patterns of eating, and time intervals. Dietary Habits,Eating Behavior,Faith-based Dietary Restrictions,Feeding Patterns,Feeding-Related Behavior,Food Habits,Diet Habits,Eating Habits,Behavior, Eating,Behavior, Feeding,Behavior, Feeding-Related,Behaviors, Eating,Behaviors, Feeding,Behaviors, Feeding-Related,Diet Habit,Dietary Habit,Dietary Restriction, Faith-based,Dietary Restrictions, Faith-based,Eating Behaviors,Eating Habit,Faith based Dietary Restrictions,Faith-based Dietary Restriction,Feeding Behaviors,Feeding Pattern,Feeding Related Behavior,Feeding-Related Behaviors,Food Habit,Habit, Diet,Habit, Dietary,Habit, Eating,Habit, Food,Habits, Diet,Pattern, Feeding,Patterns, Feeding,Restrictions, Faith-based Dietary
D005260 Female Females
D006801 Humans Members of the species Homo sapiens. Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man

Related Publications

Tammy L Root, and Laura M Thornton, and Ann Karin Lindroos, and Albert J Stunkard, and Paul Lichtenstein, and Nancy L Pedersen, and Finn Rasmussen, and Cynthia M Bulik
November 2004, The International journal of eating disorders,
Tammy L Root, and Laura M Thornton, and Ann Karin Lindroos, and Albert J Stunkard, and Paul Lichtenstein, and Nancy L Pedersen, and Finn Rasmussen, and Cynthia M Bulik
October 2008, Psychological medicine,
Tammy L Root, and Laura M Thornton, and Ann Karin Lindroos, and Albert J Stunkard, and Paul Lichtenstein, and Nancy L Pedersen, and Finn Rasmussen, and Cynthia M Bulik
March 2005, The American journal of clinical nutrition,
Tammy L Root, and Laura M Thornton, and Ann Karin Lindroos, and Albert J Stunkard, and Paul Lichtenstein, and Nancy L Pedersen, and Finn Rasmussen, and Cynthia M Bulik
May 2005, Hepatology (Baltimore, Md.),
Tammy L Root, and Laura M Thornton, and Ann Karin Lindroos, and Albert J Stunkard, and Paul Lichtenstein, and Nancy L Pedersen, and Finn Rasmussen, and Cynthia M Bulik
May 1990, Journal of gerontology,
Tammy L Root, and Laura M Thornton, and Ann Karin Lindroos, and Albert J Stunkard, and Paul Lichtenstein, and Nancy L Pedersen, and Finn Rasmussen, and Cynthia M Bulik
December 2007, Archives of general psychiatry,
Tammy L Root, and Laura M Thornton, and Ann Karin Lindroos, and Albert J Stunkard, and Paul Lichtenstein, and Nancy L Pedersen, and Finn Rasmussen, and Cynthia M Bulik
November 2010, Psychological medicine,
Tammy L Root, and Laura M Thornton, and Ann Karin Lindroos, and Albert J Stunkard, and Paul Lichtenstein, and Nancy L Pedersen, and Finn Rasmussen, and Cynthia M Bulik
January 1999, Psychosomatic medicine,
Tammy L Root, and Laura M Thornton, and Ann Karin Lindroos, and Albert J Stunkard, and Paul Lichtenstein, and Nancy L Pedersen, and Finn Rasmussen, and Cynthia M Bulik
March 1995, The journals of gerontology. Series B, Psychological sciences and social sciences,
Tammy L Root, and Laura M Thornton, and Ann Karin Lindroos, and Albert J Stunkard, and Paul Lichtenstein, and Nancy L Pedersen, and Finn Rasmussen, and Cynthia M Bulik
May 1988, American journal of epidemiology,
Copied contents to your clipboard!