Drive for thinness in adolescents predicts greater adult BMI in the Growth and Health Study cohort over 20 years

Objective In youth, a preoccupation with weight and the desire to be thinner, or drive for thinness, might persist into adulthood and predict reward-based compulsive eating and greater weight status. Methods A total of 623 women were enrolled from a prospective cohort study starting at 10 years old and assessed up to 20 years later. Drive for thinness was measured five times during adolescence. In adulthood (mean age = 39.5), drive for thinness, reward-based eating drive, and BMI were measured. Results Structural equation modeling found cumulative adolescent drive for thinness predicted higher scores for both adult drive for thinness and reward-based eating drive. Youth drive for thinness was not directly associated with adult BMI but rather indirectly through adult drive for thinness. Reward-based eating drive was not associated with adult BMI. Conclusions Drive for thinness during the critical developmental years may exert long-term effects on adulthood eating behaviors tied to greater weight gain, potentially reflecting an important early target of intervention.

Automated summary

The study found that the drive for thinness in adolescence can persist into adulthood and predict reward-based compulsive eating behavior and higher weight status in adults. Adolescent drive for thinness has long-term effects on adult eating behaviors, while reward-based eating drive is not related to adult weight status.