Angelina Tadros
December 8, 2025
Dr. Barbato
Blog #6
How Genes and Metabolism Are Linked to Anorexia
This research introduces reports from a large genome wide association study of almost 17,000 people with anorexia nervosa that showed eight genomic loci associated with the disorder. The study found that the genetic risk for anorexia overlaps with psychiatric other conditions/disorders such as obsessive compulsive disorder, depression, anxiety, and schizophrenia, as well as physical traits like lower BMI, reduced fat mass, and higher physical activity. These findings emphasize the significant overlap between anorexia associated genetic variations and metabolic traits, like insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes risk, suggesting metabolic processes play a meaningful role in the disorder. Overall, the results of this research reflect how anorexia nervosa involves both psychological and genetics and metabolic pathways. This introduces new potential targets for intervention, and better tells for the disorder.
This research challenges the previous popular notion that anorexia nervosa is a mainly psychological disorder by showing an important metabolic genetic component. The genetic correlations with metabolic traits help explain why the individuals with anorexia often struggle to regain or maintain weight even after structured nutritional support. By reintroducing anorexia as a condition rooted both in the mind and metabolism, more holistic treatments may be inspired that integrate psychological therapies with biological and metabolic interventions. This shift has the potential to improve outcomes for a disorder historically resistant to treatment and deepen our understanding of the complex interaction between the brain, genes and physiology.
Picture: https://nedic.ca/health-promotion-prevention/
Other article : https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S1673852721003209
This study is fascinating! It shows that there are more factors to anorexia than most people understand, it's more than a social and psychological push. Knowing this, people could potentially find better ways to treat an extremely hard disorder to deal with.
ReplyDeleteI just read an article about a similar condition galled bigorexia. It is real and it has to do with muscle heads who cant seem to get big enough to satisfy themselves. As normal as some symptoms of anorexia have become, so have those of bigorexia, especially among young men and teens.
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