Causes of Eating Disorders

Eating disorders are a type of mental illness that kill up to 5 percent of those diagnosed, and may result in serious health complications in those who survive. Types of eating disorders include anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa and binge eating disorder. Causes include mood and mental health disorders, genetics and social pressure to fit in. Consider this information from the Mayo Clinic about the causes of eating disorders.

Low Serotonin

• Low levels of serotonin in the brain may cause the development of eating disorders, which may also be accompanied by clinical depression.

Hormones

• Sudden changes in hormones, especially during puberty, can cause young girls to go on extreme diets to avoid developing the full breasts, hips and buttocks that come along with womanhood.

Family History

• Women who have a close female relative with an eating disorder, such as a sister or mother, may be prone to developing eating disorders as well.

OCD

• Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is associated with the development of eating disorders. It may be further triggered by emotional stress.

Low Self-Esteem

• Both men and women with low self-esteem may develop eating disorders as a way to exert control over certain aspects of their lives.

Culture

• American culture and media often suggest that only women who have large breasts, but are otherwise thin, are beautiful, and do not often provide examples of beauty in a variety of body sizes.

Peer Pressure

• Girls more often than boys experience peer pressure to fit into an ideal body shape, which includes being thin and wearing revealing clothing that showcases the body.