Children of Mothers With Anorexia Nervosa Face Higher Risk of Digestive Disorders: Study Finds
Canada: A new study published in Psychological Medicine has found that children born to mothers with anorexia nervosa are more likely to experience gastrointestinal (GI) disorders during childhood and adolescence.
The research, led by Nathalie Auger from the Health Innovation and Evaluation Hub at the University of Montreal Hospital Research Centre, Canada, and colleagues, provides important evidence linking maternal eating disorders with long-term digestive health risks in offspring.
The investigators analyzed data from a large longitudinal cohort of 1,269,370 children born in Quebec between 2006 and 2022. Of these, 2,447 children (0.2%) had mothers diagnosed with anorexia nervosa. The team examined whether these children were at a higher risk of being hospitalized for gastrointestinal conditions, including hypertrophic pyloric stenosis, inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), and rectal hemorrhage, compared with children whose mothers did not have the disorder.
Over a follow-up period ranging from 1 to 17 years, the researchers found the following:
- Gastrointestinal disorders were more common in children born to mothers with anorexia nervosa.
- By 17 years of age, the cumulative incidence of GI disorders was 165.7 per 1,000 in these children compared with 129.4 per 1,000 in those whose mothers did not have anorexia nervosa.
- After adjustment for various factors, maternal anorexia nervosa was associated with a 42% higher risk of any pediatric gastrointestinal disorder (HR: 1.42).
- The risk was notably higher for hypertrophic pyloric stenosis (HR: 2.51), inflammatory bowel disease (HR: 2.46), and rectal hemorrhage (HR: 3.46).
- These associations persisted even after accounting for possible birth defects affecting the digestive system.
- Children of mothers who developed anorexia nervosa after age 20 or had multiple hospitalizations for the condition were at the highest risk of digestive complications.
The findings highlight the potential long-term impact of maternal nutritional and psychological health on the gastrointestinal well-being of children.
The authors noted that maternal anorexia could influence fetal development through poor nutrition, hormonal changes, and stress-related mechanisms, which may disrupt gastrointestinal structure and function in the offspring. They suggested that early identification and treatment of anorexia nervosa, along with nutritional rehabilitation and psychosocial support, could help reduce the risk of such complications. Encouraging breastfeeding in the postpartum period may also provide protective benefits for infants.
However, the authors noted several limitations. Since it relied on hospital-based administrative data, mothers who received outpatient treatment or did not seek medical care were not captured. As a result, the findings may underestimate the true burden of anorexia in the population. Additionally, the researchers lacked information on certain variables, such as medication use, breastfeeding status, and ethnicity, which could influence the results.
Despite these limitations, the study—one of the largest of its kind—provides compelling evidence that maternal anorexia nervosa may have lasting effects on children’s gastrointestinal health. The authors emphasized the need for further research to understand the underlying biological mechanisms and to explore preventive strategies that support both maternal and child well-being.
Reference:
Auger N, Israël M, Steiger H, Low N, Chadi N, Brousseau É, Côté-Corriveau G. Gastrointestinal morbidity in children whose mothers have anorexia nervosa: A longitudinal cohort study. Psychol Med. 2025 Oct 28;55:e324. doi: 10.1017/S0033291725102146. PMID: 41147221.
Next Story