title: Familiality and heritability of binge eating disorder: results of a case-control family study and a twin study.
abstract: 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.
authors: Department of Biostatistics, Harvard School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts, USA. javaras@wisc.edu
authors: Kristin N
authors: KN
authors: Javaras
authors: Nan M
authors: NM
authors: Laird
authors: Ted
authors: T
authors: Reichborn-Kjennerud
authors: Cynthia M
authors: CM
authors: Bulik
authors: Harrison G
authors: HG
authors: Pope
authors: James I
authors: JI
authors: Hudson
mesh_terms: 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