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Undue influence of weight on self‐evaluation: A population‐based twin study of gender differences
Author(s) -
ReichbornKjennerud Ted,
Bulik Cynthia M.,
Kendler Kenneth S.,
Roysamb Espen,
Tambs Kristian,
Torgersen Svenn,
Harris Jennifer R.
Publication year - 2004
Publication title -
international journal of eating disorders
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.785
H-Index - 138
eISSN - 1098-108X
pISSN - 0276-3478
DOI - 10.1002/eat.10252
Subject(s) - norwegian , psychology , twin study , population , bulimia nervosa , demography , developmental psychology , heritability , clinical psychology , environmental health , medicine , eating disorders , genetics , philosophy , linguistics , sociology , biology
Objective To explore the extent to which genetic and environmental factors contribute to liability to placing undue importance on weight as an indicator of self‐evaluation and to determine whether differences exist across genders in the nature and magnitude of these effects. Method Self‐report data were collected on 8,045 same‐sex and opposite‐sex twins, aged 18–31 years, from a population‐based registry of Norwegian twins. Structural equation modeling was utilized to estimate the relative contribution of genetic and environmental factors to liability for undue influence of weight on self‐evaluation, allowing for gender‐specific effects. Results Individual variation in undue influence of weight on self‐evaluation was best explained by shared and individual environmental influences. No significant gender differences were found. Shared environmental factors accounted for 31% of the variance. Discussion These results raise the possibility that there may be distinct sources of familial resemblance for different symptoms of bulimia nervosa as codified in the 4th ed. of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (American Psychiatric Association, 1994). © 2004 by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Int J Eat Disord 35: 123–132, 2004.