Researchers link delayed brain development to eating disorders

Delayed brain development, mental health problems and genetic factors play a key role in eating disorders in more than 50% of youth.

Research from the Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience at King’s College London looks at how teenage brain maturation, genetic factors and mental health problems influence the development of disordered eating habits. The team examined genetic data, MRI scans at ages 14 and 23, and questionnaires containing questions about well-being and eating behavior of 996 participants from England, Ireland, France and Germany.

MRI analyzes have shown that delayed brain maturation, measured by decreased cortical volume and thickness, is associated with unhealthy eating habits. This effect remained significant regardless of body mass index (BMI). Particularly delayed development of the cerebellum, an area responsible for appetite control, links genetic risks of high BMI to restrictive eating habits at age 23. Delayed brain maturation also plays a role in the link between mental health problems in adolescence and the development of eating disorders later in life.

Study results show that people with unhealthy eating habits at age 23 had higher levels of internalizing problems (e.g., anxiety, depression) and externalizing problems (e.g., hyperactivity, conduct problems) at age 14 compared to those who adhered to a healthy diet.

The researchers also concluded that for people with unhealthy eating habits, internalizing problems increased with age, while externalizing problems decreased in all groups but remained more severe in those experiencing emotional or uncontrollable binge eating. Teens who restricted themselves in food intake were more likely to diet, while those who suffered from emotional or disordered eating were more likely to both diet and overeat.