Familiality and heritability of binge eating disorder: results of a case-control family study and a twin study.
OBJECTIVE
To estimate the familiality and heritability of binge eating disorder (BED).


METHODS
We used a new ACE structural equation model to estimate heritability from a case-control family study of BED conducted in the Boston area. The sample consisted of 150 overweight/obese probands with lifetime BED by DSM-IV criteria, 150 overweight/obese probands without lifetime BED, and 888 of their first-degree relatives. We compared our findings with those from a study of binge eating (in the absence of compensatory behaviors) among 7,831 Norwegian twins.


RESULTS
The prevalence of BED differed by sex and by age. In the case-control family study, BED was found to aggregate in families, and heritability was estimated as 57% (CI: 30-77%). Including shared environment did not substantially improve the model's fit, nor did allowing sex-specific heritability. Findings from the twin study were similar.


CONCLUSIONS
BED appears to aggregate in families and have a significant genetic component.
Javaras
Kristin N
KN
Department of Biostatistics, Harvard School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts, USA. javaras@wisc.edu
Laird
Nan M
NM
Reichborn-Kjennerud
Ted
T
Bulik
Cynthia M
CM
Pope
Harrison G
HG
Hudson
James I
JI
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002032:Bulimia / Q000235:genetics*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D004496:Education, Continuing; D005260:Female; D020022:Genetic Predisposition to Disease; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D018433:Twin Studies as Topic