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A new study has uncovered alarming insights into the high levels of disordered eating behaviors among young people, linking these habits to structural brain differences. The research, led by the Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience (IoPPN) at King’s College London, has revealed that more than half of 23-year-olds in a European study exhibit restrictive, emotional, or uncontrolled eating behaviors.
Published in Nature Mental Health, the study investigates how genetics, brain structure, and mental health contribute to the development of these behaviors, with findings indicating that differences in brain maturation during adolescence may play a key role.
The research highlights that brain maturation—the process by which the volume and thickness of the brain’s cortex decrease during adolescence—can influence whether young people develop unhealthy eating habits as they approach adulthood. Specifically, delayed brain maturation was found to be linked to the development of restrictive eating behaviors, such as dieting and purging, and emotional or uncontrolled eating behaviors, such as binge eating.
The study analyzed data from 996 adolescents across the UK, Ireland, France, and Germany, collected as part of the IMAGEN longitudinal cohort. Participants were assessed at ages 14 and 23, providing genetic data, completing questionnaires on their mental health and eating behaviors, and undergoing MRI scans.
By age 23, participants were divided into three categories: healthy eaters (42%), restrictive eaters (33%), and emotional or uncontrolled eaters (25%). Researchers discovered that individuals with unhealthy eating behaviors, whether restrictive or emotional/uncontrolled, exhibited higher levels of mental health problems, such as anxiety, depression, hyperactivity, and conduct issues, at age 14.
Interestingly, internalizing mental health issues—such as anxiety and depression—intensified from age 14 to 23 among those with disordered eating behaviors. Externalizing issues, like hyperactivity, decreased across all groups, but remained elevated among emotional/uncontrolled eaters.
The study also revealed a concerning trend: restrictive eaters dieted more consistently throughout adolescence, while emotional/uncontrolled eaters began dieting more intensively between ages 14 and 16, often accompanied by binge eating between ages 14 and 19. Both restrictive and emotional eating behaviors were also linked to obesity and higher genetic risk for elevated body mass index (BMI).
MRI scans of participants at ages 14 and 23 provided insight into brain maturation, particularly in relation to the cortex’s volume and thickness. The results showed that unhealthy eaters experienced delayed and less pronounced brain maturation compared to healthy eaters. This delay played a role in how mental health issues at age 14 contributed to disordered eating behaviors at age 23, independently of BMI.
One key finding was the reduced maturation of the cerebellum, a brain region involved in controlling appetite. This delay helped explain how genetic predisposition to high BMI influenced restrictive eating behaviors later in life.
The study emphasizes the complex interaction between genetics, brain development, and mental health challenges in the onset of disordered eating behaviors. Xinyang Yu, a Ph.D. student at King’s IoPPN and the first author of the study, noted, “Our findings reveal how delayed brain maturation during adolescence links genetics, mental health challenges, and disordered eating behaviors in young adulthood, emphasizing the critical role of brain development in shaping eating habits.”
Dr. Zuo Zhang, a Research Fellow at King’s IoPPN and co-author of the study, added, “By showing that different unhealthy eating behaviors are linked to differential trajectories of mental health symptoms and brain development, our findings may inform the design of more personalized interventions.”
Professor Sylvane Desrivières, Professor of Biological Psychiatry at King’s IoPPN and senior author of the study, highlighted the importance of addressing unhealthy dietary habits early. “Our findings suggest the potential benefits of improved education aimed at preventing eating disorders and promoting healthy coping strategies to support brain health,” she said.
This research underscores the importance of understanding the neurological and psychological factors that contribute to eating disorders, with implications for developing more effective prevention and intervention strategies in young people.
For further details, the study is published in Nature Mental Health (2025), DOI: 10.1038/s44220-024-00354-7.
