神经性厌食症一直被视为一种严重的精神疾病，但一项国际研究发现，人体里存在与厌食症相关的基因，所以神经性厌食症不仅是精神疾病，也是一种代谢紊乱。伦敦国王学院的医生们发现，一些人的脱氧核糖核酸（DNA¹）发生了变化，改变了他们代谢脂肪和糖的方式，所以会让他们有进食障碍。

 

Anorexia² is an eating disorder³ that leads people to lose as much weight as possible by eating little food and sometimes exercising excessively. For the past few decades it's been seen as a serious psychiatric disease. But this study in Nature Genetics, suggests its origins are even more complex.

厌食症是一种饮食失调症，导致人们通过少吃食物和过度运动来尽可能地减重。在过去的几十年里，它被视为一种严重的精神疾病。但发表在《自然-遗传学》期刊上的这项研究表明，它的起源更为复杂。

 

Researchers analysed DNA - the blueprint⁴ for the human body - from more than 72,000 people. They found mutations that were far more common in anorexia patients. Some mutations did affect brain function, but others were found in the instructions that control the body's metabolism⁵, particularly around blood sugar levels and body fat.

研究人员分析了超过 7.2 万人的人体蓝图 —— 基因组。他们发现基因突变在厌食症患者中更为常见。一些基因突变确实影响了脑功能， 但也有一些基因突变出现在控制身体新陈代谢的指令中，尤其是控制血糖水平和身体脂肪的指令中。

 

When most people lose weight there are signals in the body that push back, making us want to eat more. The suspicion is this process goes awry⁶ in people at risk of anorexia, making it easier for them to starve themselves. The eating disorder charity Beat said the findings were ground breaking and that rethinking the origins of anorexia could fuel research into new treatments.

当大多数人想减轻体重时，身体里发出的一些信号会产生反作用力，让我们食欲大增。但人们怀疑，这个过程在有患厌食症风险的人群中出现了偏差，从而使他们有进食障碍。饮食失调慈善机构 Beat 表示，这是一项突破性的研究，重新思考厌食症的起源可以推动新疗法的研究 。

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