Shared Genetic Influences Between Loss-of-Control Eating and Body Mass Index in Adolescent Twins.

OBJECTIVE: Pediatric loss-of-control (LOC) eating is associated with high BMI and predicts binge-eating disorder and obesity onset with age. Research on the etiology of this common comorbidity has not explored the potential for shared genetic risk. This study examined genetic and environmental influences on LOC eating and its shared influence with BMI. METHOD: Participants were 499 monozygotic and 398 same-sex dizygotic twins (age = 17.38 years ± 0.67, BMIz = 0.03 ± 1.03, 54% female) from the Colorado Center for Antisocial Drug Dependence Study. LOC eating was assessed dichotomously. Self-reported height and weight were converted to BMIz. Univariate and bivariate twin models estimated genetic and environmental influences on LOC eating and BMIz. RESULTS: More girls (21%) than boys (9%, p < 0.001) reported LOC eating. The phenotypic correlation with BMIz was 0.03 in girls and 0.18 in boys. Due to the nonsignificant phenotypic correlation in girls, bivariate twin models were fit in boys only. Across all models, the best-fitting model included genetic and unique environmental effects. Genetic factors accounted for 0.51 (95% CI: 0.23, 0.73) of the variance of LOC eating in girls and 0.54 (0.18, 0.90) in boys. The genetic correlation between LOC eating and BMIz in boys was 0.45 (0.15, 0.75). DISCUSSION: Findings indicate moderate heritability of LOC eating in adolescence, while emphasizing the role of unique environmental factors. In boys, LOC eating and BMIz share a proportion of their genetic influences.

Shared genetic risk between anorexia nervosa and cardiovascular disease events: Evidence from genome-wide association studies.

OBJECTIVE: Cardiovascular complications occur in up to 80% of patients with anorexia nervosa (AN), yet the underlying mechanisms warrant further investigation. We assessed the genetic correlation (rg ) between AN and cardiovascular disease (CVD) events to inform whether elevated cardiovascular risk among individuals with AN is due to shared genetic effects. METHOD: We used genome-wide association study summary statistics for AN (N = 72,517), AN with binge eating (N = 12,630), AN without binge eating (N = 12,516), and six CVD events (N = 390,142 to 977,323). We calculated the rg s via linkage disequilibrium score regression and corrected for multiple testing using false discovery rate. RESULTS: Significant rg s emerged between AN with heart failure (rg  = -0.11, SE = 0.05, q = .04) and myocardial infarction (rg  = -0.10, SE = 0.03, q = .01). AN with binge eating had a significant rg with myocardial infarction (rg  = -0.15, SE = 0.06, q = .02). No significant rg emerged between AN without binge eating and any CVD event. DISCUSSION: Some loci affect the liability to AN and CVD in opposite directions and the shared genetic effects may not be consistent across all CVD events. Our results provide further evidence suggesting that the elevated cardiovascular risk in AN may not be due to shared genetic underpinnings, but more likely a downstream consequence of the disease.

Differential genetic associations between dimensions of eating disorders and alcohol involvement in late adolescent twins.

BACKGROUND: Twin studies have demonstrated shared genetic and environmental effects between eating disorders and alcohol involvement in adults and middle adolescents. However, fewer studies have focused on late adolescents or investigated a wide range of eating disorder dimensions and alcohol involvement subscales in both sexes. We examined genetic and environmental correlations among three eating disorder dimensions and two alcohol involvement subscale scores in late adolescent twins using bivariate twin models. METHODS: Participants were 3568 female and 2526 male same-sex twins aged 18 years old from the Child and Adolescent Twin Study in Sweden. The Eating Disorder Inventory-2 (EDI) assessed the drive for thinness, bulimia, and body dissatisfaction. Alcohol involvement was assessed with the Alcohol Use Disorder Identification Test consumption (AUDIT-C) and problem (AUDIT-P) subscales. RESULTS: Only phenotypic and twin correlations in female twins met our threshold for twin modeling. The proportion of total variance for each trait accounted for by additive genetic factors ranged from 0.50 to 0.64 in female twins, with the rest explained by nonshared environmental factors and measurement error. Shared environmental factors played a minimal role in the variance of each trait. The strongest genetic correlation (ra ) emerged between EDI bulimia and AUDIT-P (ra = 0.46, 95% confidence interval: 0.37, 0.55), indicating that the proportion of genetic variance of one trait that was shared with the other trait was 0.21. Nonshared environmental correlations between eating disorder dimensions and alcohol involvement ranged from 0.03 to 0.13. CONCLUSIONS: We observed distinct patterns of genetic and environmental effects for co-occurring eating disorder dimensions and alcohol involvement in female vs. male twins, supporting sex-specific treatment strategies for late adolescents with comorbid eating disorders and alcohol use disorder. Our findings emphasize the importance of assessing family history of multiple eating disorder dimensions while treating late adolescents with problematic alcohol use, and vice versa, to improve detection and treatment.

ARFID Genes and Environment (ARFID-GEN): study protocol.

BACKGROUND: The Avoidant Restrictive Food Intake Disorder - Genes and Environment (ARFID-GEN) study is a study of genetic and environmental factors that contribute to risk for developing ARFID in children and adults. METHODS: A total of 3,000 children and adults with ARFID from the United States will be included. Parents/guardians and their children with ARFID (ages 7 to 17) and adults with ARFID (ages 18 +) will complete comprehensive online consent, parent verification of child assent (when applicable), and phenotyping. Enrolled participants with ARFID will submit a saliva sample for genotyping. A genome-wide association study of ARFID will be conducted. DISCUSSION: ARFID-GEN, a large-scale genetic study of ARFID, is designed to rapidly advance the study of the genetics of eating disorders. We will explicate the genetic architecture of ARFID relative to other eating disorders and to other psychiatric, neurodevelopmental, and metabolic disorders and traits. Our goal is for ARFID to deliver "actionable" findings that can be transformed into clinically meaningful insights. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ARFID-GEN is a registered clinical trial: clinicaltrials.gov NCT05605067.

Arfid Genes and Environment (ARFID-GEN): Study Protocol.

Background: The Avoidant Restrictive Food Intake Disorder Genes and Environment (ARFID-GEN) study is a study of genetic and environmental factors that contribute to risk for developing ARFID in children and adults. Methods: A total of 3,000 children and adults with ARFID from the United States will be included. Parents/guardians and their children with ARFID (ages 7 to 17) and adults with ARFID (ages 18+) will complete comprehensive online consent, parent verification of child assent (when applicable), and phenotyping. Enrolled participants with ARFID will submit a saliva sample for genotyping. A genome-wide association study of ARFID will be conducted. Discussion: ARFID-GEN, a large-scale genetic study of ARFID, is designed to rapidly advance the study of the genetics of eating disorders. We will explicate the genetic architecture of ARFID relative to other eating disorders and to other psychiatric, neurodevelopmental, and metabolic disorders and traits. Our goal is for ARFID to deliver "actionable" findings that can be transformed into clinically meaningful insights. Trial registration: ARFID-GEN is a registered clinical trial: clinicaltrials.gov NCT05605067.

Food-restricted alcohol consumption: relation to psychopathology in college students.

Objective: Food-restricted alcohol consumption (FRAC) is a growing concern among college students. We investigated demographic and lifestyle characteristics and psychiatric symptoms associated with FRAC. Participants: College students (n = 561) at a large southeastern university in the United States. Methods: Participants completed online self-reported questionnaires assessing past-year FRAC, demographic and lifestyle characteristics, and psychiatric symptoms. Results: The past-year prevalence of FRAC was 23.89%. In the bivariate analyses, students engaging in FRAC had higher mean scores of multiple psychiatric symptoms, reported more harmful or hazardous drinking and suicidality, and were more likely to report a history of an eating disorder than their peers without FRAC. In a hierarchical regression model, binge eating, cognitive restraint, self-reported history of an eating disorder, and harmful or hazardous drinking were significantly associated with FRAC (ps < 0.05) after other psychiatric symptoms were included in the model. Conclusion: Our findings stress the importance of heightened awareness of FRAC in college.

Development and Validation of an Eating-Related Eco-Concern Questionnaire.

Eco-concern, the distress experienced relating to climate change, is associated with mental health, yet no study has examined disordered eating related to eco-concern. This study developed and validated a 10-item scale assessing Eating-Related Eco-Concern (EREC). Participants (n = 224) completed the EREC, Climate Change Worry Scale (CCWS), and Eating Disorder Examination-Questionnaire (EDE-Q). Construct validity, convergent validity, and internal consistency were evaluated. Sex differences in EREC were evaluated using t-tests. Associations among the EREC, CCWS, and EDE-Q were evaluated using linear regression models. Sensitivity analyses were conducted in individuals below EDE-Q global score clinical cut-offs. Factor analysis suggested that all items loaded adequately onto one factor. Pearson's correlation and Bland-Altman analyses suggested strong correlation and acceptable agreement between the EREC and CCWS (r = 0.57), but weak correlation and low agreement with the EDE-Q global score (r = 0.14). The EREC had acceptable internal consistency (α = 0.88). No sex difference was observed in the EREC in the full sample; females had a significantly higher mean score than males in sensitivity analysis. The EREC was significantly positively associated with the CCWS and EDE-Q global and shape concern scores, but not in sensitivity analysis. The EREC is a brief, validated scale that can be useful to screen for eating-related eco-concern.

Impact of Torulaspora delbrueckii During Fermentation on Aromatic Profile of Vidal Blanc Icewine.

Non-Saccharomyces yeasts usually have a positive effect on improving the diversity of wine aroma and increasing the differentiation of wine products. Among these non-Saccharomyces yeast species, Torulaspora delbrueckii is often studied and used in winemaking in recent years, but its application in icewine has not been reported yet. In this study, indigenous T. delbrueckii strains (TD1 and TD2) and Saccharomyces cerevisiae strains (commercial yeast SC1 and indigenous icewine yeast SC2) were sequentially inoculated for icewine fermentations; meanwhile, pure S. cerevisiae (SC1 and SC2) fermentations were used as the control; TD1, TD2, and SC2 strains used were screened from spontaneous fermentations of Vidal blanc icewine. The aim was to investigate the effect of T. delbrueckii on the aroma complexity of icewine, which is of great significance to the application of T. delbrueckii in icewine production. The results showed that T. delbrueckii was completely replaced by S. cerevisiae at the middle and later fermentative stages in mixed culture fermentations. Compared with the icewine fermented with pure S. cerevisiae, mixed culture fermented icewines contained lower acetic acid and ethanol, and higher glycerol. The inoculation of T. delbrueckii greatly impacted the levels of several important volatile compounds, and more 2-phenylethyl alcohol, isoamyl acetate, linalool, D-limonene, p-cymene and cineole were produced, and the fruity, flowery, and sweet characteristic was intensified. Moreover, the relevance of strain-specificity within T. delbrueckii to aroma compound differences was shown. To our knowledge, this study is the first to investigate the application of T. delbrueckii in Vidal blanc icewine fermentation, and volatile aroma compounds in the icewine fermented by T. delbrueckii and S. cerevisiae.

Novel insights into the consequences of obesity: a phenotype-wide Mendelian randomization study.

Obesity is thought to significantly impact the quality of life. In this study, we sought to evaluate the health consequences of obesity on the risk of a broad spectrum of human diseases. The causal effects of exposing to obesity on health outcomes were inferred using Mendelian randomization (MR) analyses using a fixed effects inverse-variance weighted model. The instrumental variables were SNPs associated with obesity as measured by body mass index (BMI) reported by GIANT consortium. The spectrum of outcome consisted of the phenotypes from published GWAS and the UK Biobank. The MR-Egger intercept test was applied to estimate horizontal pleiotropic effects, along with Cochran's Q test to assess heterogeneity among the causal effects of instrumental variables. Our MR results confirmed many putative disease risks due to obesity, such as diabetes, dyslipidemia, sleep disorder, gout, smoking behaviors, arthritis, myocardial infarction, and diabetes-related eye disease. The novel findings indicated that elevated red blood cell count was inferred as a mediator of BMI-induced type 2 diabetes in our bidirectional MR analysis. Intriguingly, the effects that higher BMI could decrease the risk of both skin and prostate cancers, reduce calorie intake, and increase the portion size warrant further studies. Our results shed light on a novel mechanism of the disease-causing roles of obesity.

Screen-detected disordered eating and related traits in a large population sample of females in mainland China: China Health and Nutrition Survey.

OBJECTIVE: We describe the prevalence and sociodemographic factors associated with screen-detected disordered eating and related traits in a population-based sample of women in China. We also explored prevalence trends over time. METHOD: A total of 4,218 females aged 12-50 were sampled from 15 provinces as part of the China Health and Nutrition Survey (CHNS) in 2015. The SCOFF questionnaire screened for disordered eating and the selected questions from the Eating Disorders Examination-Questionnaire measured dietary restraint, shape concerns, and weight concerns. Body mass index (BMI) was measured and sociodemographic factors captured urban/rural residence, age, ethnicity, income, education, marital status, and occupational status. We calculated the prevalence of screen-detected disordered eating and related traits broadly and across several dimensions and compared prevalence estimates to 2009 and 2011 reports. RESULTS: We detected 296 individuals who screened positive for disordered eating on the SCOFF (prevalence = 7.04%). Positive screens were associated with urban residence (p = .002) and higher education levels (p < .001). Scores on restraint, shape concerns, and weight concerns were all higher for individuals in urban versus village locations (all p's < .001), and with higher BMI (p < .001) for shape and weight concerns. The prevalence of screen-detected disordered eating increased numerically across 2009, 2011, and 2015. DISCUSSION: The prevalence of screen-detected disordered eating in mainland China was comparable to other populations worldwide obtained from a recent meta-analysis. The distribution of disordered eating and related traits varied by several sociodemographic factors, which include age, BMI, urban/rural residence, education, and income, suggesting important directions for case detection and intervention in China.

Ultrasonic measurement of facial tissue depth in a Northern Chinese Han population.

In forensic anthropology, facial soft tissue depth measurement is crucial for craniofacial reconstruction technology, which is based on the morphological features of human faces to rebuild appearances of decedents, helps forensic scientists to identify the nameless bone. We measured the facial tissue depth of 135 young subjects from northern China whereby revealing the relationship among tissue depth, sex and BMI as well as providing data for craniofacial reconstruction in forensic science. All the volunteers are healthy medical students including 64 males and 71 females. Ultrasound was used to measure 19 points across the face evenly distributed in 6 regions including the eye, nose, mouth, cheek, jaw and chin. Our results indicate that tissue thickness at 11 points of females and 11 points of males are related to BMI. A majority of points are thicker in females than those of males. Further comparisons with data of American and European population show an apparent diversity in both genders.

Gender-related difference in bloodstain RNA ratio stored under uncontrolled room conditions for 28 days.

Bloodstain age is a parameter that can be used in crime scene investigations. Bloodstain age can be determined by measuring the 18S rRNA:ß-actin mRNA ratio by Reverse Transcription-quantitative PCR (RT-qPCR). Since this ratio is a function of time, it can be used as an estimator of bloodstain age. However, it is important to validate the technique in a variety of scenarios before it can be applied. We investigated 18S rRNA:ß-actin mRNA ratio in bloodstains from sixteen Chinese subjects in 28 days under uncontrolled room conditions. The ratio changed in a linear fashion. It was also found that the subjects' gender affected the relationship between time and the RNA ratio.