A study of changes in genetic and environmental influences on weight and shape concern across adolescence.

Abstract

The goal of the current study was to examine whether genetic and environmental influences on an important risk factor for disordered eating, weight and shape concern, remained stable over adolescence. This stability was assessed in 2 ways: whether new sources of latent variance were introduced over development and whether the magnitude of variance contributing to the risk factor changed. We examined an 8-item WSC subscale derived from the Eating Disorder Examination (EDE) using telephone interviews with female adolescents. From 3 waves of data collected from female–female same-sex twin pairs from the Australian Twin Registry, a subset of the data (which included 351 pairs at Wave 1) was used to examine 3 age cohorts: 12 to 13, 13 to 15, and 14 to 16 years. The best-fitting model contained genetic and environmental influences, both shared and nonshared. Biometric model fitting indicated that nonshared environmental influences were largely specific to each age cohort, and results suggested that latent shared environmental and genetic influences that were influential at 12 to 13 years continued to contribute to subsequent age cohorts, with independent sources of both emerging at ages 13 to 15. The magnitude of all 3 latent influences could be constrained to be the same across adolescence. Ages 13 to 15 were indicated as a time of risk for the development of high levels of WSC, given that most specific environmental risk factors were significant at this time (e.g., peer teasing about weight, adverse life events), and indications of the emergence of new sources of latent genetic and environmental variance over this period.

DSM‐5 unspecified feeding and eating disorders in adolescents: What do they look like and are they clinically significant?

“…The EDE provides diagnostic information relating to the prior 3‐month period, and was supplemented with lifetime questions for the purpose of this study, including the age range during which each diagnostic criterion was met (to assess the co‐occurrence of features). Previous work with the current population identifies the EDE as possessing high inter‐rater reliability, good internal reliability, equivalency, and stability of the combined weight and shape concern subscale over increasing age . The criteria for defining the different DSM‐5 threshold eating disorders and the disorders in OSFED and the prevalence of these disorders have been published previously, displaying high inter‐rater reliability …”

DSM‐5 eating disorders and other specified eating and feeding disorders: Is there a meaningful differentiation?

“…The EDE provides diagnostic information relating to the prior 3‐month period and was supplemented with lifetime questions for the purpose of this study, including the age range during which each diagnostic criterion was met (to assess the co‐occurrence of features). Previous work with the current population identifies the EDE as possessing high inter‐rater reliability, good internal reliability, equivalency and stability of the combined weight, and shape concern subscale over increasing age …”

“…The current study uses three waves of data from adolescent female–female twin pairs. Participant characteristics and methodology used to derive this sample have been described previously . At Waves 2 and 3, all twins, responders and non‐responders, were approached.…”

Etiological influences on continuity and co‐occurrence of eating disorders symptoms across adolescence and emerging adulthood

“…They also additionally reported significant genetic innovation at the latter time point. Third, Wade et al () focused on body and shape concerns at ages 12–13, 13–15, and 14–16 years and observed that both genetic and shared environmental influences contributed to the continuity of this phenotype. They reported genetic and shared environmental innovation only at the second time point but not at the final one.…”