Eating disorders and anxiety go hand in hand

Adolescent girls with eating disorders are at risk of also developing anxiety disorders, and vice versa, according to a new study. Dr Pamela K. Keel, of the University of Iowa, Iowa City, and colleagues examined the simultaneous occurrence of eating disorders and mood disorders among 672 female twins (ages 16 to 18 years) from the Minnesota Twin Family Study.
The subjects completed structured interviews that determined the presence of anorexia or bulimia, and assessed mood, anxiety, and substance use.
Eating disorders were highly likely to co-exist with major depression, anxiety disorders, and nicotine dependence, the investigators report in the International Journal of Eating Disorders.
Within a group of 14 identical twin pairs who did not both have an eating disorder, the risk for anxiety disorders was nonetheless increased among the non-eating-disordered co-twins.