Those who suffer from alcohol addiction are more likely to suffer from eating disorders and vice versa, according to a new study from the University of Washington School of Medicine (United States). The investigations indicate that both pathologies are triggered by the same genetic factors, although at the moment it is unknown which specific genes are involved.
This link had already been raised in previous research, but in all of them a sample of only women had been analyzed, considering eating disorders as an exclusively female illness. In this study, however, 6,000 adult twins of both sexes were observed in order to clearly distinguish which factors are due to genetics and which to external factors.
The results showed that a large part of those who suffered from alcoholism also suffered from eating disorders such as uncontrolled drinking, anorexia or bulimia. The scientists detected a genetic correlation of 0.26 out of 1 between the two disorders, a moderate figure that requires further in-depth research to achieve some relevance.
These conclusions show the need for a joint treatment of both pathologies that facilitates the rehabilitation of patients.
