Genetic and environmental relationships between eating behavior and symptoms of anxiety and depression.

purposeTo assess gender-specific genetic and environmental correlations between depressive and anxiety symptoms, and concurrent and follow-up eating behavior in Korean twins and their family members.

methodsCenter for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale and State-Trait Anxiety Inventory were used to measure depressive and anxiety symptoms in subjects. To assess concurrent and follow-up relationships of the symptoms with eating behavior domains (restrained, emotional, and external eating), the Dutch Eating Behavior Questionnaire was administered to 2359 subjects at baseline (men, 48.5%; 42.0 ± 12.7 years; monozygotic twins, 33.7%) and to 1169 subjects at follow-up (men, 45.9%; 44.9 ± 11.6 years; monozygotic twins, 41.0%). A mixed linear model and bivariate analysis were applied.

resultsAfter adjusting for age, twin and family effects, income, education, smoking status, alcohol use, exercise, and body mass index, depressive and anxiety symptoms were positively associated with concurrent and follow-up emotional and external eating, but not with restrained eating. The effect size of association with emotional eating increased in men in men over time, but decreased in women. Common genetic and environmental correlations showed a difference between genders, and their strength changed with time. Nevertheless, common genetic correlations were found between depressive and anxiety symptoms, and concurrent emotional eating, in both genders. There were common environmental correlations between anxiety symptoms, and concurrent restrained and emotional as well as follow-up emotional eating, in both genders.

conclusionsThere are similarities and differences in genetic and environmental relationships between depressive and anxiety symptoms and eating behaviors, based on gender and time of assessment. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Level III, cohort study.