Early Risers Linked to Higher Anorexia Risk, Study Suggests

Quincy Jon, Tech Times 04 January 2024, 08:01 pm

Early risers may be more susceptible to developing anorexia, according to research from Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH), University College London, and the University of the Republic in Uruguay. This study also debunks the idea that schizophrenia, binge-eating disorder, and depression patients are "night owls."

The recent study published in the Jama Network Open explains anorexia nervosa's odd relationship with the body's circadian clock and suggests it may be a "morning disorder." Senior author and assistant investigator Hassan Dashti of Massachusetts General Hospital's Department of Anesthesia, Critical Care, and Pain Medicine underlined the relevance of the findings and the relationship between anorexia and insomnia, as previously documented, per Helensburgh Advertiser.

What Does the Latest Anorexia Study Say?

Studies have connected eating problems to the circadian clock, which controls sleep and other physiological activities. The researchers looked at genes linked to anorexia to see if people at risk have certain sleep patterns.

Early Risers Linked to Higher Anorexia Risk, Study Suggests

(Photo : FRED DUFOUR/AFP via Getty Images)
Elize a 20-year-old woman poses in her apartment 23 January 2007 in Lille, northern France. Elize developed anorexia two years ago after she had gone on a diet in order to lose weight, and has no more than 1200 calories per day.

Unexpectedly, the researchers discovered a bidirectional relationship between the genes linked to early waking and bedtimes and those linked to anorexia. According to the research, anorexia may cause a person to get up early, and vice versa, an earlier wake time may make anorexia more likely. Furthermore, a higher risk of sleeplessness was discovered to be connected with an enhanced genetic risk score for anorexia.

The study highlights how much more investigation is required into circadian-based therapy for the management and prevention of anorexia nervosa. The findings add to the increasing amount of research demonstrating the complexity of mental illnesses and their possible biological causes.

It is also important to note that, given that many factors affect wake-up hours, the study did not set a definite early rise time.

A Serious Public Health Issue

Anorexia nervosa is a serious eating disorder characterized by low body weight, a distorted body image, an acute dread of gaining weight, and restricted eating behaviors. It has one of the worst death rates among mental illnesses, and recurrence rates after current treatments can reach 52 percent.

Anorexia nervosa affects a large number of US people each year, with women three times more likely than males and young women at the highest risk, per BNN Breaking.

According to the National Institute for Mental Health, the condition has two subtypes: "restrictive" and "binge-purge." Restricted anorexia nervosa patients significantly limit their dietary intake. Those with the latter anorexia type also restrict their food intake, but they may also binge-eat and purge, which involves eating a lot of food quickly and then vomiting or taking laxatives or diuretics to get rid of it.

Hannah Wilcox, the study's principal author, emphasized the critical need for more investigation into preventative and therapeutic measures for this crippling condition.

"The clinical implications of our new findings are currently unclear; however, our results could direct future investigations into circadian-based therapies for anorexia nervosa prevention and treatment," Wilcox remarked, as quoted by US News & World Report.