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Genes carrying a risk for alcoholism and eating disorders are linked, a study showed, reported Medical Daily.
According to Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, researchers are confident that both physicians and therapists can use the data to treat patients suffering from either alcohol dependence or binge-eating more effectively.
The team plans to run further testing on blood or saliva so that the actual gene involved with the link can be identified.
The study's lead author Melissa A. Munn-Chernoff, Ph.D. said, "If centers could treat both problems at the same time, that would be a big help." Munn-Chernoff, along with her colleagues from Washington University, examined 6,000 adult identical twins in Australia.
Each twin answered a questionnaire pertaining to his or her use of alcohol as well as any history of binge-eating. The results of this survey showed that 25 percent of men and six percent of women admitted to a history of alcohol abuse.
Another 11 percent of men and 13 percent of women reported a problem with binge-eating. "By comparing the findings in identical and fraternal twins, we can develop estimates of how much of the difference in particular traits is due to genes or environment," said Munn-Chernoff.
"We found that some of the genes that influence alcohol dependence also influence binge eating in men and women."
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