27 April 2011
Last updated at 19:04 ET
Spring babies have a slightly higher incidence of anorexia nervosa.
Babies born in spring are slightly more likely to develop anorexia nervosa, while those born in the autumn have a lower risk, say researchers.
A report published in the British Journal of Psychiatry suggests temperature, sunlight, infection or the mother’s diet could be responsible.
Other academics said the effect was small and the disorder had many causes.
The researchers analysed data from four previous studies including 1,293 people with anorexia.
The researchers found an “excess of anorexia nervosa births” between March and June – for every seven anorexia cases expected, there were in fact eight.
There were also fewer than expected cases in September and October.
Dr Lahiru Handunnetthi, one of the report’s authors, at the Wellcome Trust Centre for Human Genetics, said: “A number of previous studies have found that mental illnesses such as schizophrenia, bipolar disorder and major depression are more common among those born in the spring – so this finding in anorexia is perhaps not surprising.
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