title: Body image and eating behavior in young adults born preterm.
abstract: Previous studies have suggested that people born preterm have increased rates of eating disorders (ED). However, a recent study suggested lower levels of ED-related symptoms in the extreme group of adults born preterm with very low birth weight (<1,500 g). We examined symptoms related to EDs in adults born early (<34 weeks of gestational age) or late (34 to <37 weeks of gestational age) preterm.
  
  
  
  We studied young adults (mean age 24.1 years) from two birth cohorts: ESTER (Northern Finland 1985-1989) and AYLS (Uusimaa, Finland, 1985-1986). Of the participants, 185 were born early preterm, 348 late preterm, and 637 were term-born controls (N = 1,170). They completed three subscales of the Eating Disorder Inventory (EDI)-2, including Drive for Thinness (DT), Body Dissatisfaction (BD), and Bulimia (B). Group differences were examined by linear regression.
  
  
  
  Young women born early preterm scored 4.1 points (95% CI -8.0, -0.2, P =.04) lower in summed EDI subscale scores than women born at term, when adjusted for age and cohort. This difference was observed also in DT and BD but not for B subscales. The differences persisted after adjustments for current, pre- and neonatal characteristics. We did not observe differences in EDI scores among men or women born late preterm when compared to controls.
  
  
  
  Women born early preterm have significantly fewer symptoms related to EDs in early adulthood when compared to their peers born at term, which may protect from developing an ED. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. (Int J Eat Disord 2016; 49:572-580).
authors.affiliation: National Institute for Health and Welfare, Helsinki and Oulu, Finland.|Institute of Health Sciences, University of Oulu, Oulu, Finland.
authors.forename: Hanna-Maria
authors.initials: HM
authors.lastname: Matinolli
authors.affiliation: National Institute for Health and Welfare, Helsinki and Oulu, Finland.
authors.forename: Satu
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Männistö
authors.affiliation: National Institute for Health and Welfare, Helsinki and Oulu, Finland.|Institute of Health Sciences, University of Oulu, Oulu, Finland.|PEDEGO Research Unit (Research Unit for Pediatrics, Dermatology, Clinical Genetics, Obstetrics and Gynecology), Medical Research Center Oulu (MRC Oulu), Oulu University Hospital and University of Oulu, Oulu, Finland.
authors.forename: Marika
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sipola-Leppänen
authors.affiliation: National Institute for Health and Welfare, Helsinki and Oulu, Finland.|Institute of Health Sciences, University of Oulu, Oulu, Finland.
authors.forename: Marjaana
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Tikanmäki
authors.affiliation: Institute of Behavioral Sciences, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland.
authors.forename: Kati
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Heinonen
authors.affiliation: Institute of Behavioral Sciences, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland.|Helsinki Collegium for Advanced Studies, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland.
authors.forename: Jari
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Lahti
authors.affiliation: Institute of Behavioral Sciences, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland.
authors.forename: Marius
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Lahti
authors.affiliation: Children's Hospital, Helsinki University Central Hospital and University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland.
authors.forename: Karoliina
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Wehkalampi
authors.affiliation: Institute of Health Sciences, University of Oulu, Oulu, Finland.|Imperial College, London, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Marjo-Riitta
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Järvelin
authors.affiliation: Children's Hospital, Helsinki University Central Hospital and University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland.
authors.forename: Sture
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Andersson
authors.affiliation: Children's Hospital, Helsinki University Central Hospital and University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland.
authors.forename: Aulikki
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Lano
authors.affiliation: Children's Hospital, Helsinki University Central Hospital and University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland.
authors.forename: Timo
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Vartia
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, University of Warwick, Warwick, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Dieter
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Wolke
authors.affiliation: National Institute for Health and Welfare, Helsinki and Oulu, Finland.|Department of General Practice and Primary Health Care, University of Helsinki and Helsinki University Hospital, Helsinki, Finland.|Folkhälsan Research Center, Helsinki, Finland.
authors.forename: Johan G
authors.initials: JG
authors.lastname: Eriksson
authors.affiliation: National Institute for Health and Welfare, Helsinki and Oulu, Finland.|PEDEGO Research Unit (Research Unit for Pediatrics, Dermatology, Clinical Genetics, Obstetrics and Gynecology), Medical Research Center Oulu (MRC Oulu), Oulu University Hospital and University of Oulu, Oulu, Finland.
authors.forename: Marja
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Vääräsmäki
authors.affiliation: Institute of Behavioral Sciences, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland.
authors.forename: Katri
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Räikkönen
authors.affiliation: National Institute for Health and Welfare, Helsinki and Oulu, Finland.|PEDEGO Research Unit (Research Unit for Pediatrics, Dermatology, Clinical Genetics, Obstetrics and Gynecology), Medical Research Center Oulu (MRC Oulu), Oulu University Hospital and University of Oulu, Oulu, Finland.|Children's Hospital, Helsinki University Central Hospital and University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland.
authors.forename: Eero
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Kajantie
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000856:Anorexia Nervosa / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology*; D057215:Body Dysmorphic Disorders / Q000523:psychology*; D001828:Body Image / Q000523:psychology; D052018:Bulimia Nervosa / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology*; D005247:Feeding Behavior / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D047109:Fetal Development / Q000502:physiology; D005387:Finland / Q000453:epidemiology; D005865:Gestational Age; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007234:Infant, Premature / Q000523:psychology*; D008297:Male; D011247:Pregnancy; D011248:Pregnancy Complications / Q000453:epidemiology; D011272:Pregnancy, Multiple; D011297:Prenatal Exposure Delayed Effects; D012917:Social Adjustment; D013851:Thinness / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: birth weight; body image; eating disorders; gestational age; preterm birth