Association between low height and eating disorders: cause or effect?

Objective: Few studies have explored the relationship between stature and eating disorders (ED). We aimed to investigate the connection between height and risk for ED in a cohort of female subjects.

Method: The sample was composed of 1,031 subjects with ED and 832 controls. All participants belonged to the same birth cohort and were living in the same geographical area.

Results: ED subjects were, on average, shorter than control subjects, independently from the age of onset. In early-onset anorexia nervosa only, age of onset and lowest body mass index were significant predictors of height. In the whole sample, a lower height was associated with an increased risk of having an ED, even after controlling for possible confounding variables.

Conclusion: The association between EDs and low stature is statistically significant. Further studies are necessary to understand which genetic and/or environmental factors might explain this association.