Abstract
Objective: To determine whether patients with anorexia nervosa exhibit an abnormal pattern in their season of birth. Method: Case records of female patients presenting to secondary services in Northeast Scotland from 1965 to 1997 who received a clinical diagnosis of anorexia nervosa were examined. The months of birth of the 446 anorexic patients with a confirmed diagnosis were compared with 5,766 female control subjects born locally in 1951, 1961, 1971, and 1981. Results: Patients with anorexia nervosa had an excess of births in the first 6 months of the year (p = .013). The greatest excess was from March to June. Discussion: This provides further evidence that birth dates of anorexics peak in the late spring and early summer. There are parallels with the epidemiology of schizophrenia. The evidence suggests that a seasonally fluctuating factor, most plausibly an intrauterine effect of common infectious agents during the winter months, is of etiological significance. (C) 2001 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Original language | English |
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Pages (from-to) | 167-175 |
Number of pages | 8 |
Journal | International Journal of Eating Disorders |
Volume | 30 |
Issue number | 2 |
DOIs | |
Publication status | Published - 2001 |
Keywords
- anorexia nervosa
- seasons
- birth rate
- schizophrenia
- epidemiology
- DUTCH-HUNGER-WINTER
- PRENATAL EXPOSURE
- EATING DISORDERS
- BRAIN HYPOMETABOLISM
- ADULT SCHIZOPHRENIA
- AFFECTIVE PSYCHOSIS
- BIPOLAR DISORDER
- BULIMIA-NERVOSA
- INFLUENZA
- RISK