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People in Sweden of non-European descent have almost three times as many eating disorder symptoms as people born in Sweden. But despite this, they have significantly less access to specialist treatment. This is according to new research from Karolinska Institutet published in BJPsych Open.

Eating disorders are debilitating conditions characterized by dysregulated eating and/or weight-control behaviors leading to significant impairment of psychosocial functioning and/or physical health. Both environmental factors and variation in multiple genetic variants influence eating disorder etiology and maintenance.

ARFID is strongly influenced by genetic factors, according to a twin study examining this relatively new type of eating disorder. The study has been published in the journal JAMA Psychiatry by researchers at Karolinska Institutet.

In her thesis, Camilla Wiklund aims to extend the knowledge about the relationship among body mass index (BMI), gastrointestinal complaints, and diet, and how these factors contribute to the emergence and maintenance of eating disorders.