Associations between Blood Metabolic Profile at 7 Years Old and Eating Disorders in Adolescence: Findings from the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children

Abstract

Eating disorders are severe illnesses characterized by both psychiatric and metabolic factors. We explored the prospective role of metabolic risk in eating disorders in a UK cohort (n = 2929 participants), measuring 158 metabolic traits in non-fasting EDTA-plasma by nuclear magnetic resonance. We associated metabolic markers at 7 years (exposure) with risk for anorexia nervosa and binge-eating disorder (outcomes) at 14, 16, and 18 years using logistic regression adjusted for maternal education, child’s sex, age, body mass index, and calorie intake at 7 years. Elevated very low-density lipoproteins, triglycerides, apolipoprotein-B/A, and monounsaturated fatty acids ratio were associated with lower odds of anorexia nervosa at age 18, while elevated high-density lipoproteins, docosahexaenoic acid and polyunsaturated fatty acids ratio, and fatty acid unsaturation were associated with higher risk for anorexia nervosa at 18 years. Elevated linoleic acid and n-6 fatty acid ratios were associated with lower odds of binge-eating disorder at 16 years, while elevated saturated fatty acid ratio was associated with higher odds of binge-eating disorder. Most associations had large confidence intervals and showed, for anorexia nervosa, different directions across time points. Overall, our results show some evidence for a role of metabolic factors in eating disorders development in adolescence.

Evaluation of Metabolic Profiles of Patients with Anorexia Nervosa at Inpatient Admission, Short- and Long-Term Weight Regain—Descriptive and Pattern Analysis

“…A longitudinal association of metabolic factors with the risk of development of eating disorders could be identified [ 38 ]. Based on the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children (ALSPAC) cohort, the relationship of 158 metabolic traits at 7 years (exposure) with the risk for anorexia nervosa at 14, 16 and 18 years was analyzed.…”

Bone, fat, and muscle interactions in health and disease

“…Therefore, the skeleton follows the wasting process that affects muscle and adipose tissues in a state of food restriction. Part of the function of muscle and adipose tissues, as storage sites for energy substrates, is to provide, respectively, amino acids and fatty acids to meet energy needs, orchestrated by the well-recognized adaptation of hypoinsulinemia and elevation of insulin counterregulatory hormones ( 60 , 61 ). The bone repercussions during adaptations caused by malnutrition in anorexia nervosa are well recognized, i.e.…”

Serum metabolic signature of binge‐like palatable food consumption in female rats by nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy

“…Performing the NMR analysis in these rats could be a useful approach to provide new knowledge on compulsive eating, identifying potential biochemical markers that contribute to this maladaptive eating behavior. There are limited studies on metabolome measurements in eating disorders 37,38 that are especially focused on AN 37,39–41 . Recent studies suggest that metabolomics play an interesting role in distinguishing normal weight and obese individuals and could be considered an encouraging clinically diagnostic strategy for obesity state 42–45 .…”