title: Eating problems and overlap with ADHD and autism spectrum disorders in a nationwide twin study of 9- and 12-year-old children.
abstract: AIM. To establish the prevalence of restrictive eating problems, the overlap and association with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), and autism spectrum disorders (ASD) and to estimate the heritability of eating problems in a general population sample of twins aged 9 and 12. METHODS. Parents of all Swedish 9- and 12-year-old twin pairs born between 1993 and 1998 (n = 12,366) were interviewed regarding symptoms of ADHD, ASD, and eating problems (EAT-P). Intraclass correlations and structural equation modelling were used for evaluating the influence of genetic and environmental factors. Cross-twin, cross-trait correlations were used to indicate a possible overlap between conditions. RESULTS. The prevalence of eating problems was 0.6% in the study population and was significantly higher in children with ADHD and/or ASD. Among children with eating problems, 40% were screened positive for ADHD and/or ASD. Social interaction problems were strongly associated with EAT-P in girls, and impulsivity and activity problems with EAT-P in boys. The cross-twin, cross-trait correlations suggested low correlations between EAT-P and ADHD or EAT-P and ASD. Genetic effects accounted for 44% of the variation in liability for eating problems. CONCLUSIONS. In the group with eating problems, there was a clear overrepresentation of individuals with ADHD and/or ASD symptoms.
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Sciences, Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Lund University, Sofiavägen 2D, Lund, Sweden. maria.rastam@med.lu.se
authors.forename: Maria
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Råstam
authors.forename: Jakob
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Täljemark
authors.forename: Armin
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Tajnia
authors.forename: Sebastian
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Lundström
authors.forename: Peik
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Gustafsson
authors.forename: Paul
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Lichtenstein
authors.forename: Christopher
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Gillberg
authors.forename: Henrik
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Anckarsäter
authors.forename: Nóra
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Kerekes
mesh_terms: D001289:Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity / Q000453:epidemiology*; D002648:Child; D002659:Child Development Disorders, Pervasive / Q000453:epidemiology*; D015897:Comorbidity; D001068:Feeding and Eating Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008297:Male; D012307:Risk Factors; D013548:Sweden / Q000453:epidemiology; D014427:Twins / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*