A cotwin control study of associations between financial hardship and binge eating phenotypes during COVID-19.

ABSTRACT:

Background

COVID-19 was associated with significant financial hardship and increased binge eating (BE). However, it is largely unknown whether financial stressors contributed to BE during the pandemic. We used a longitudinal, cotwin control design that controls for genetic/environmental confounds by comparing twins in the same family to examine whether financial hardship during COVID-19 was associated with BE.

Methods

Female twins (N = 158; M_age  = 22.13) from the Michigan State University Twin Registry rated financial stressors (e.g., inability to afford necessities) daily for 49 consecutive days during COVID-19. We first examined whether financial hardship was associated with BE phenotypes across the full sample. We then examined whether cotwins who differed on

SUBMITTER: Mikhail ME 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9851975 | biostudies-literature | 2023 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature