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The effects of maternal eating disorders on offspring childhood and early adolescent psychiatric disorders
Author(s) -
Micali Nadia,
Stavola Bianca,
Ploubidis George B,
Simonoff Emily,
Treasure Janet
Publication year - 2014
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.22216
Subject(s) - offspring , eating disorders , psychopathology , psychiatry , epidemiology of child psychiatric disorders , longitudinal study , population , psychology , psychiatric assessment , medicine , clinical psychology , pregnancy , genetics , environmental health , pathology , biology
ABSTRACT Objective There is evidence that parental psychiatric disorders are associated with offspring psychiatric disorder. Very few small studies have investigated the effect of maternal eating disorders on offspring psychopathology throughout childhood and early adolescence. We aimed to investigate psychiatric disorders at age 7, 10, and 13 years in offspring of women with eating disorders prior to pregnancy and investigate the relative contribution of other psychiatric disorders. Method Women ( N = 12,035) from a large population‐based longitudinal cohort: the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children (ALSPAC). A brief prepregnancy psychiatric history was obtained at enrollment to determine exposure. Offspring psychiatric disorder was measured using the developmental and well‐being assessment at ages 7, 10, and 13. Results Maternal eating disorders were associated with a psychiatric diagnosis in the offspring at age 7 and 10, particularly emotional disorders (Odds ratio = 1.9, 95%CI: 1.1–2.8). Maternal psychiatric disorders other than eating disorders predicted psychiatric diagnoses across ages, and acted in an additive fashion with maternal eating disorders. Discussion Maternal eating disorders together with comorbid psychopathology increase risk for psychiatric disorders in childhood and early adolescence, in particular for emotional disorders. This has important implications for prevention and future research. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. (Int J Eat Disord 2014; 47:385–393)