Doctoral Dissertation Research: Genetics, Environment, and the Influence of Eating Disorders on Marriage and Fertility Trajectories

University Of Utah, Salt Lake City UT

Investigators

Abstract

In life course theory, a turning point is defined as a particular event, experience, or set of behaviors that result in a significant change to the life or health trajectory of an individual. One set of behaviors that has not yet been incorporated into life course theory is eating disorders, despite the fact that approximately 24 million people in the US suffer from them. Eating disorders are known to be the result of genetic and epigenetic factors, and result in unfavorable physical and mental health outcomes that persist well into adulthood. Although preliminary evidence suggests that eating disorders result in poor social adjustment in adolescence and adulthood, including delinquency and higher unemployment, little research has explored the influence of eating disorders on markers of social wellbeing. This project examines whether eating disorders act as a turning point that disrupts, delays or inhibits other outcomes associated with adult development. Specifically this study explores the relationship between eating disorders and outcomes related to family formation such as marriage and fertility behaviors using a sibling-comparison design. Biological siblings share similar genetic traits and generally develop in similar early-life environments. A sibling-comparison design allows for greater isolation of eating disorders as a particular divergent experience by accounting for a wide-array of early-life and epigenetic factors that may be associated with both the etiology and consequences of eating disorders. The project utilizes two data sources to examine the marriage and fertility experiences of individuals with eating disorders: The National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health (Add Health) and the Utah Population Data Base (UPDB). Once completed, this project will be among the first studies to control for the epigenetic factors influencing both the risk for eating disorders and the outcomes associated with family formation during adulthood.