Young Women with Eating Disorders or Disordered Eating Behaviors
It is found that eating disorders or disordered eating behaviors during adolescence are associated with increased odds of having three or more children compared to no children in adulthood, even when the authors account for delinquency and sexual behaviors.
Abstract
Despite the well-documented link between eating disorders (EDs) and female infertility, it is unknown how EDs or disordered eating behaviors (DEBs) influence overall parity in early adulthood. Using longitudinal data, we examine whether EDs or DEBs during adolescence are linked to the number of children born to young women in early adulthood. We find that EDs or DEBs are associated with increased odds of having three or more children compared to no children in adulthood, even when we account for delinquency and sexual behaviors.