Unlocking anorexia

A LARGE study into anorexia conducted by King’s College London has shown that its causes are not just psychological.

The international study looked at 16,992 people with anorexia and 55,525 people without the disease from 17 countries and found that genes play an important role.

For many years, doctors have known there is a genetic component to many, if not all, mental health conditions.

But what was interesting about this study was that it found mutations in the genes of those with anorexia specifically relating to metabolism.

When most people lose weight, the body sends signals to stimulate the appetite. It’s thought this doesn’t happen in people with the mutations who have anorexia, making it easier for them to starve their bodies for longer.

It means we’re one step closer to understanding this mysterious and potentially deadly condition.