This is how the brain influences eating disorders during adolescence

The role of the brain in these addictive behaviors has also been investigated for some time.

This is what a European study led by the Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience (IoPPN) at King’s College London (United Kingdom).

According to the research, which is published in ‘Nature Mental Health‘, more than half of the 23-year-olds analyzed presented restrictive, emotional or uncontrolled eating behaviors. Furthermore, the work suggests that structural differences in the brain seem to influence the development of these behaviors.

The researchers discovered that the process of “brain maturation«, by which the volume and thickness of the cortex (the outer layer of the brain) decreases during adolescence, is a factor that determines whether adolescents develop restrictive or emotional/uncontrolled eating behaviors in early adulthood.

Restrictive eating behaviors, such as dieting and purging, involve deliberately limiting food intake to control body weight and shape. In contrast, emotional or uncontrolled eating behaviors, such as binge eating, are characterized by episodes of eating in response to negative emotions or compulsive impulses.

The researchers analyzed data from 996 teenagers from England, Ireland, France and Germany. Participants provided genetic data, completed questionnaires about their well-being and eating habits, and underwent an MRI at ages 14 and 23.

Types of eating habits

At age 23, participants were classified into three types of eating habits: healthy eaters (42%), restrictive eaters (33%), and emotional or uncontrolled eaters (25%).

The study found that the three groups had different mental health patterns and behavior over time.

For example, they explain in their article, those young people with unhealthy eating behaviors (restrictive and emotional/uncontrolled) at age 23 had higher levels of internalizing problems (for example, anxiety or depression) and externalizing problems (for example, hyperactivity, lack of attention problems or behavioral problems) at age 14, compared to those who eat healthily.

Internalizing problems increased significantly with age between 14 and 23 among unhealthy eaters. Although externalizing decreased with age in all groups, overall levels were highest among those with emotional or uncontrolled eating.

Additionally, the researchers found that people with restrictive eating habits had dieted more during adolescence compared to those with healthy eating habits.

Unhealthy eating habits were linked to obesity and an increased genetic risk of having a high BMI.

By analyzing magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) data at ages 14 and 23 to investigate brain maturation over time and how much the volume and thickness of the cortex had decreased, the study authors saw that maturation brain was delayed and was less pronounced in those who had unhealthy eating habits.

Brain maturation

In his opinion, Brain maturation played a role in the link between mental health problems at age 14 and the development of unhealthy eating behaviors at age 23 and, they emphasize, this connection was not related to BMI.

Less brain maturation also helped explain how genetic risk for high BMI influences unhealthy eating behaviors at age 23.

Specifically, they write, reduced maturation of the cerebellum (a brain region that controls appetite) helped explain the link between the genetic risk of having a high BMI and restrictive eating behaviors at age 23.

Research highlights how brain maturation, genetics and mental health difficulties interact to contribute to eating disorder symptoms.

According to Sylvane Desriviereslead author of the study, the findings highlight the potential benefits of better education aimed at addressing unhealthy eating habits and maladaptive coping strategies. This could play a crucial role in preventing eating disorders and supporting overall brain health.”