A new study has found a link between childhood BMI and the risk of eating disorders, and this study showed both a high and a low BMI. Childhood obesity is a large problem in the US and other parts of the world, and there are countless studies and programs set up to try and combat this problem. The pandemic has made this problem worse, with limited activity and remote learning. It is important to know exactly what the root of the problem is, and what consequences it can have for children as they grow. A BMI has been used for decades to give a picture of a person’s weight relevant to their height.

According to Study Finds and Eureka Alert, a new study on BMI has shown that it can be linked to eating disorders. A child’s BMI when they are young can hint at their risk of developing an eating disorder when they are older. Eating disorders are another serious mental health risk, and it is important that they are understood as well.

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The research team has found:

•Children who have a low BMI are at a higher risk of developing anorexia nervosa later on

•Children with a high BMI are at a high risk of developing bulimia nervosa as they age

This is an interesting study as it highlights children with a low BMI when the emphasis is normally placed on a high BMI which would indicate obesity.

The research is going to be presented at the European Congress on Obesity and the study was done by authors from Bispebjerg and Frederiksberg Hospital in Denmark. They state that this research indicates the importance of monitoring a child’s weight and height as they grow to help identify patterns emerging.

To come to this conclusion, researchers looked at data for over 66,000 girls born between the years 1960 and 1996.

They then followed this data and found:

•514 women were diagnosed with anorexia nervosa by the time they were 20 years old

•305 girls were diagnosed with bulimia nervosa by the time they were 23 years old

This is when they found the link between BMI and eating disorders. The girls with a high BMI had a 50% higher risk of developing bulimia nervosa. But when they compared her to a girl with a low BMI, she had a 14% less chance of developing anorexia nervosa.

Studies are important as they can inform parents and medical professionals which children may need to be monitored as they grow.

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Sources: Study Finds, Eureka Alert