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Pattern of birth in anorexia nervosa II: a comparison of early-onset cases in the southern and northern hemispheres

Pattern of birth in anorexia nervosa II: a comparison of early-onset cases in the southern and northern hemispheres
Pattern of birth in anorexia nervosa II: a comparison of early-onset cases in the southern and northern hemispheres
Objective: In the northern hemisphere, people with anorexia nervosa are more likely to be born in the spring and early summer, particularly when environmental temperature at assumed time of conception is warmer. This study investigates whether there is a comparable effect in the southern hemisphere (Australia), where seasonal and temperature patterns are reversed.

Method: Date of birth and temperature at assumed time of conception were collected for 199 Australian and 259 UK patients with early-onset anorexia nervosa. Analyses determined patterns of birth and links to temperature at conception.

Results: There was little change across the year in the birth patterns of young people with anorexia nervosa in the southern hemisphere. However, there was a significant link between temperature at assumed time of conception and diagnostic subtype. Compared with anorexics of the binge/purge subtype, restrictive anorexics from the southern hemisphere were less likely to be conceived in relatively cool weather.

Conclusions: The findings support a temperature at conception hypothesis (modified for local temperature ranges), rather than suggesting a simple seasonal pattern of birth.
pattern of birth, anorexia nervosa, temperature at conception, australia and united kingdom
0276-3478
18-23
Willoughby, Kate
f920c076-e8de-4104-8617-00b28011aa72
Watkins, Beth
c11b993c-9900-44ce-9536-22016141b634
Beumont, Pierre
d4d9b15b-a75e-41e6-b800-350ffbd93b86
Maguire, Sarah
2ca83fa1-936b-4f50-a9ca-4a10bc64acc2
Lask, Bryan
cd217286-5307-48f9-ac7d-a41de3317b94
Waller, Glenn
8f917a34-f50f-4703-a50f-dc9a9a6fc24b
Willoughby, Kate
f920c076-e8de-4104-8617-00b28011aa72
Watkins, Beth
c11b993c-9900-44ce-9536-22016141b634
Beumont, Pierre
d4d9b15b-a75e-41e6-b800-350ffbd93b86
Maguire, Sarah
2ca83fa1-936b-4f50-a9ca-4a10bc64acc2
Lask, Bryan
cd217286-5307-48f9-ac7d-a41de3317b94
Waller, Glenn
8f917a34-f50f-4703-a50f-dc9a9a6fc24b

Willoughby, Kate, Watkins, Beth, Beumont, Pierre, Maguire, Sarah, Lask, Bryan and Waller, Glenn (2002) Pattern of birth in anorexia nervosa II: a comparison of early-onset cases in the southern and northern hemispheres. International Journal of Eating Disorders, 32 (1), 18-23. (doi:10.1002/eat.10058). (PMID:12183942)

Record type: Article

Abstract

Objective: In the northern hemisphere, people with anorexia nervosa are more likely to be born in the spring and early summer, particularly when environmental temperature at assumed time of conception is warmer. This study investigates whether there is a comparable effect in the southern hemisphere (Australia), where seasonal and temperature patterns are reversed.

Method: Date of birth and temperature at assumed time of conception were collected for 199 Australian and 259 UK patients with early-onset anorexia nervosa. Analyses determined patterns of birth and links to temperature at conception.

Results: There was little change across the year in the birth patterns of young people with anorexia nervosa in the southern hemisphere. However, there was a significant link between temperature at assumed time of conception and diagnostic subtype. Compared with anorexics of the binge/purge subtype, restrictive anorexics from the southern hemisphere were less likely to be conceived in relatively cool weather.

Conclusions: The findings support a temperature at conception hypothesis (modified for local temperature ranges), rather than suggesting a simple seasonal pattern of birth.

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More information

e-pub ahead of print date: 14 May 2002
Published date: July 2002
Keywords: pattern of birth, anorexia nervosa, temperature at conception, australia and united kingdom
Organisations: Psychology

Identifiers

Local EPrints ID: 347530
URI: http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/id/eprint/347530
ISSN: 0276-3478
PURE UUID: b37661c7-9373-41e0-928a-c52d41381541

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Date deposited: 23 Jan 2013 11:37
Last modified: 14 Mar 2024 12:48

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Contributors

Author: Kate Willoughby
Author: Beth Watkins
Author: Pierre Beumont
Author: Sarah Maguire
Author: Bryan Lask
Author: Glenn Waller

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