Slow growth of brain's cortex may increase risk of eating disorders in adulthood

Slow maturing of the brains cortex that helps with selfcontrol and decisionmaking during teenage could be a reason for developing eating disorders as a young adult according to a new researchDisordered eating behaviours can be restrictive involving dieting and purging in which one deliberately limits food intake to control body weight and shape or emotional in response to negative emotions or urges such as bingeeatingFor the study published in the journal Nature Mental Health the researchers led by those at Kings College London analysed MRI brain scans of almost 1000 teenagers from England Ireland France and Germany taken at ages 14 and 23 years Genetic data and responses to questionnaires assessing the participants wellbeing and eating behaviours were also analysedBrain maturation in which the cortex or the outer layer of brain decreases in volume and thickness during teenage was found to be delayed and less pronounced in unhealthy eaters The cortex is known to help perform higherlevel functions such as decisionmaking and regulating emotionsAgerelated decreases in volumes and thickness in several brain regions particularly in the cerebellum and prefrontal cortex were less pronounced in restrictive eaters and emotionaluncontrolled eaters compared with healthy eaters suggesting protracted delayed brain maturation the authors wroteThey said that a delayed maturing of the cortex contributed towards the link between having mental health problems at age 14 and developing unhealthy eating behaviours at age 23 and this connection was unrelated to body mass indexIn particular they found that a reduced maturation of the cerebellum a brain region that controls appetite helped explain the link between ones genetic risk for high body mass index and restrictive eating behaviours at age 23The researchers grouped the participants under three types of eating behaviours healthy eaters 42 per cent restrictive eaters 33 per cent and emotional or uncontrolled eaters 25 per centYoung people with unhealthy eating behaviours at age 23 were found to have had higher levels of internalising and externalising problems at age 14 compared to healthy eaters Internalising problems could involve anxiety or depression whereas externalising ones could involve hyperactivity inattention or conduct issuesInternalising problems significantly increased with age between 14 to 23 among the unhealthy eaters the researchers saidThey added that although externalising problems decreased with age across the groups overall levels were higher among those having emotional or uncontrolled eating behavioursRestrictive eaters were found to have dieted more throughout adolescence compared to healthy eatersOn the other hand some of the emotional eaters showed an increase in dieting between ages 14 and 16 while others showed an increase in binge eating between ages 14 to 19 compared to healthy eaters the team foundAlso ReadPrioritising balanced diet key to combat alarming nutrition crisis in India ExpertsThis story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed agencies Midday accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability trustworthiness reliability and data of the text Midday managementmiddaycom reserves the sole right to alter delete or remove without notice the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever