Causes

Causes of Eating Disorders

Causes of eating disorders include a number of complex, interwoven, social, psychological and biological factors.

Eating disorders often occur as a result of deeper emotional and psychological problems, whereby controlling food intake through overeating or under eating is used as a coping mechanism for feelings such as stress, anxiety, depression, sadness, anger or other difficult emotions.

Body image distortion/negative body image and low self-esteem are strongly implicated as other causes of eating disorders.

Other causes to consider are physiological in nature. It is possible that some people have a genetic predisposition for developing eating disorders, or that eating disorders are caused by chemical imbalances in the brain. It has also been suggested that dieting is a slippery slope to an eating disorder.

More Information

Causes of Anorexia Nervosa - A number of interrelated physiological, psychological and behavioural factors are thought to be responsible for causing anorexia nervosa.

Causes of Bulimia Nervosa - Bulimia nervosa is caused by a number of interrelated physiological, psychological and social factors.

Causes of Binge Eating Disorder - Several interrelated physiological, psychological and behavioural factors are thought to contribute to binge eating disorder.

Anorexia Nervosa and Genetics - A study has found evidence there is a link between anorexia nervosa and genetics.

Negative Body Image - People with eating disorders sometimes have a negative body image and a distorted view of how they appear to others.

Media and Eating Disorders - The media has an important role to play in the messages young people receive about the cultural ideal of physical perfection.

Skinny Celebrities - Celebrities have often been accused of promoting thinness and making it fashionable, and inspiring other people to look the same.

Body Image in Hollywood - Hollywood is the land of beautiful bodies where body image is everything, but is the story behind it quite so beautiful?

Pro Eating Disorder Websites - Pro-eating disorder websites have stirred up controversy, being dubbed 'pro-ana' (pro-anorexia) or 'pro-mia' (pro-bulimia) sites.

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