Researchers from the Washington University School of Medicine have found a genetic link between alcohol dependence and eating disorders, suggesting evidence points to the same genes are likely involved in developing both diseases.
The study published in the Journal of Studies on Alcohol and Drugs suggests those who become alcoholics are also susceptible to develop certain types of eating disorders, and can go vice versa for those ware diagnosed with the eating disorders.
"In clinical practice, it's been observed that individuals with eating disorders also have high rates of alcohol abuse and dependence," Melissa A. Munn-Chernoff, PhD, the study's first author, said in a news release. "Other studies have focused on the genetic connections between alcohol dependence and eating disorders, but all of those studies looked only at women. Ours was the first to include men as well."
Researchers collected data from nearly 6,000 adult twins in Australia, according to a news release. Twins were used in the study to use "statistical methods to determine the odds that certain traits result from the same genes." The research team found common genetic factors combined with the two psychiatric disorders, including binge eating and purging habits.
"By comparing the findings in identical and fraternal twins, we can develop estimates of how much of the difference in particular traits is due to genes or environment," Munn-Chernoff said. "We found that some of the genes that influence alcohol dependence also influence binge eating in men and women."
The researchers surveyed men and women about their alcohol use and binge eating, according to the news release:
In all, nearly 25 percent of the men and 6 percent of women had been alcohol dependent at some point. Almost 11 percent of these same men and 13 percent of the women had experienced problems with binge eating. In addition, about 14 percent of the women had engaged in purging or abuse of laxatives or diuretics
On a statistical scale that runs from zero (no shared genes) to 1 (all genes shared), the researchers found that the genetic correlation between binge eating and alcohol dependence was statistically significant at .26.
Among women in the study, the genetic correlation between compensatory behaviors and alcohol dependence was significant at .32.
"Those numbers suggest that there are shared genetic risk factors for these behaviors, such as purging and fasting," said Munn-Chernoff. "It appears that some genes that influence alcohol dependence also influence binge eating in men and women, and compensatory behaviors in women."
Click here to read the full study.
