According to the DSM-5, eating disorders are characterized by persistent
disturbances in eating behavior.
Although obesity is not considered an eating disorder in the DSM-5, it is becoming
an increasingly alarming issue in the West and is responsible for more deaths than
all other eating disorders combined.
Causal Factors in Eating Disorders
Sociocultural Factors: Societal norms and expectations affect girls more than boys
Beginning around age 9, girls are more anxious than boys about losing weight
Magazines, movies, and social media all contribute to what “beauty” is, and it
usually involves maintaining a certain weight Entering school comes with the
pressure to conform to perceptions of desirable body type
Biological Factors: The most important impact on fundamental biological processes
is the early parent-child relationship Genetic play a huge role in the development of
an eating disorder
Familial Influences: Family dysfunctions play a huge role in children developing
eating disorders Parents’ preoccupation with being thin, and excessive
dieting/exercise plays a significant role
Western Culture
Eating disorders are generally linked to Western culture... For the most part, food in
the West is less scarce than in other parts of the world, and physical appearance is
highly valued.
Causal Factors in Eating Disorders
, Individual Risk Factors: Anorexia and bulimia typically occur during adolescence
Girls place greater emphasis on self-perceptions of their physical appearance than
boys, thus eating disorders are much more common for women
- Contradictory social messages imply that women must be successful in traditional
feminine and masculine roles
- Restrictive dieting is common in North America, even among elementary school
children
- Dieting may lead to a vicious cycle of weight loss and weight gain, overeating, as
well as binge eating and subsequent purging
- Many young people diet, but only a small minority develop eating disorders
- Child sexual abuse may be a risk factor for eating disorders, especially bulimia
General risk factor for psychopathology, rather than a specific risk factor for eating
disorders
EATING DISORDERS: Sociocultural Factors
Influence girls more than boys in developing eating disorders
EATING DISORDERS: Biological Factors
Early parent-child relationship and genetic predisposition
Anorexia Nervosa
Characterized by refusal to maintain minimally normal body weight; intense fear of
gaining weight; and significant disturbance in perception and experiences of body
size. TREATMENT: Restoring to a normal weight is one of the main goals of
treatment.
Bulimia Nervosa
- Characterized by uncontrollable binge eating and efforts to prevent weight gain
by using inappropriate behaviors
- Much more common than anorexia
The primary feature is recurrent binge eating
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