Spring babies may be vulnerable to eating disorders, data suggests

By Staff Writer

Babies who are born in the spring season may be more likely to develop an eating disorder later in life, according to a new study in the British Journal of Psychiatry.

Researchers from Oxford University compared the birth dates of 1,293 patients with anorexia to those of the general population. They found that an excess of individuals who suffered from the eating disorder were born between March and June. Furthermore, there was a low number or anorexic patients who were born between September and October.

This is the largest study to date that examined the season-of-birth effect on anorexia rates. Past research has shown that mental illnesses such as bipolar disorder and major depression are more common among individuals who were born in the spring.

The study's lead author indicated that seasonal changes in temperature, sunlight exposure and vitamin D levels are risk factors that may explain the trends. Furthermore, maternal nutrition habits and infections that are commonly associated with spring may also explain the high rates.

Adolescents who have an eating disorder may benefit from the healthy programs that are promoted by summer camps.