An international team of scientists has conducted the first large-scale comparison of genomes of people who suffer from binge eating and those who do not, concluding that eating disorders are not directly dependent on body mass index, reports infohub.kz.
The findings, published in the journal Nature Mental Health, are based on genetic data from nearly 40,000 individuals with compulsive binge eating, 25,000 patients with anorexia, and more than 1.2 million healthy participants. The researchers identified six genomic regions (loci) associated with binge eating and eight loci linked to anorexia.
The main conclusion is that genetic variants responsible for eating disorders differ from those determining body weight. One of the identified binge-eating loci is located near the FTO gene, previously associated with high body mass index. The authors suggest that binge eating partially explains the link between this gene and weight gain.
According to Dr. Helena Davis, the study confirms at the genetic level that eating behavior problems are not solely about body weight. This discovery could aid in developing more precise diagnostic and treatment methods for eating disorders, taking genetic predisposition into account.