What Causes Anorexia?
Anorexia is a complicated disorder that touches the lives of whole families. Anorexia nervosa is described as a disorder marked by obsession and a distorted body image. A person affected by anorexia has a great fear of gaining weight, and will pursue weight loss goals in an often-obsessive manner. They may avoid eating or eat very sparingly, and take part in an obsessive weight-loss exercise regime. Because of this focus on not eating and losing weight, anorexia patients tend to be very thin. Although anorexia is still not fully understood by researchers, doctors have pared down several factors that may be responsible for triggering anorexia in some patients. In general, researchers have found that anorexia goes beyond simply having an unhealthy relationship with food. It appears that anorexia has much to do with control: controlling what you put in your body, and how your outward appearance. Here are other factors that may influence the development of anorexia.
Biology: Many researchers have noted a biological factor to anorexia. Although it is not deemed an overwhelming factor, genetics, hormones, and other biological factors may contribute to the development of anorexia in some individuals.
Major life changes and other stressful events: Stressful events and major life changes can prompt the onset of anorexia in some individuals. Losing a beloved friend or family member, divorce, moving, starting a new school, or the end of a relationship are all stressful life changes that can make a person feel like they are losing control of their life. This can cause some people to seek control over their life and impel them to make changes in their diet and appearance. This may spiral into a larger problem that can develop into anorexia.
Popular Culture: Cultural ideals and media have a strong influence on how we view and feel about our bodies. In our culture, thinness is revered and obesity is seen as an undesirable state that is usually the result of weakness and loss of discipline. Many women may define their own sense of beauty by comparing themselves to ultra-thin super models and other celebrities. They may not be able to accept themselves until they feel they have achieved the ideal of perfection. These types of goals are not only unrealistic and unhealthy, but can result in dire health predilections.
Low self-esteem/Emotional health: Anorexia is often triggered by feelings of low self-worth and esteem. They may resent their appearance or feel bad about their appearance. Often, individuals afflicted with anorexia are perfectionists that strive to achieve the "perfect" weight." Often, this goal is unrealistic and unhealthy. Even if they lose weight, anorexia patients are still plagued by feelings of worthlessness or failure.
Family history: Many researchers have noted that some people who develop anorexia also have family members who suffer or have suffered from the condition. There may be a family predilection toward outward perfection. Also, parents who criticize their children's physical appearance may be unwittingly triggering feelings of low self-esteem that can develop into anorexia or another eating disorder.
Eating disorder news on the Web
Food Cravings Reduced By Lizard Saliva
A drug made from the saliva of the Gila monster lizard is effective in reducing the craving for food. Researchers at the Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, have tested the drug on rats, who after treatment ceased their cravings for both food and chocolate... |
Differences Seen In Brain Circuitry Between Women With Anorexia And Those With Obesity
Why does one person become anorexic and another obese? A study recently published by a University of Colorado School of Medicine researcher shows that reward circuits in the brain are sensitized in anorexic women and desensitized in obese women. The findings also suggest that eating behavior is related to brain dopamine pathways involved in addictions... |
Study Identifies Five Factors That Promote A Positive Body Image In Women
Women with high family support and limited pressure to achieve the 'thin and beautiful' ideal have a more positive body image. That's according to a new study looking at five factors that may help young women to be more positive about their bodies, in the context of a society where discontent with appearance is common among women. The work by Dr... |
Possible Link Discovered Between The Hormone Ghrelin And Hedonic Eating
When eating is motivated by pleasure, rather than hunger, endogenous rewarding chemical signals are activated which can lead to overeating, according to a recent study accepted for publication in The Endocrine Society's Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism (JCEM). The phenomenon ultimately affects body mass and may be a factor in the continuing rise of obesity... |
Addiction-Like Behaviors Can Stem From Binge Eating
A history of binge eating - consuming large amounts of food in a short period of time - may make an individual more likely to show other addiction-like behaviors, including substance abuse, according to Penn State College of Medicine researchers. In the short term, this finding may shed light on the factors that promote substance abuse, addiction, and relapse... |
Key Events Can Trigger Eating Disorders
Eating disorders can be triggered by lack of support following traumatic events such as bereavement, relationship problems, abuse and sexual assault, according to research published in the May issue of the Journal of Clinical Nursing. Even changing school or moving home can prove too much for some young people and lead to conditions such as anorexia or bulimia... |
Our Brains On Food: From Anorexia To Obesity And Everything In Between
The brains of people with anorexia and obesity are wired differently, according to new research. Neuroscientists for the first time have found that how our brains respond to food differs across a spectrum of eating behaviors - from extreme overeating to food deprivation. This study is one of several new approaches to help better understand and ultimately treat eating disorders and obesity... |
Super-Thin Models Banned From Catwalks And Ads, Israel
The Israeli parliament has passed a new law which prohibits clinically underweight models from appearing in advertisements and catwalks. Lawmakers believe the presence of super-skinny models in the media and fashion parades encourages eating disorders and promotes unrealistic and unhealthy body image goals... |
How A Single Gene Mutation Leads To Uncontrolled Obesity
Researchers at Georgetown University Medical Center have revealed how a mutation in a single gene is responsible for the inability of neurons to effectively pass along appetite suppressing signals from the body to the right place in the brain. What results is obesity caused by a voracious appetite... |
Eating Disorders Cause Severe Dental Erosion
It is estimated that about 1.1 million men and women in the UK suffer from eating disorders, with the dark figure thought to be even higher, considering that many more keep their problem a secret. A study by the University of Bergen in Norway, showed that patients who suffer from eating disorders, such as Anorexia and Bulimia, experienced substantially more dental health problems... |
Prader-Willi Syndrome - Challenge To Stop Over-Eating In Children
A Challenge to find new research methods for hyperphagia, or unregulated appetite, a condition prevalent in children with Prader-Willi syndrome (PWS) - a genetic disorder of chromosome 15, has been announced by InnoCentive. Inc., and the Foundation for Prader-Willi Research. Around 6,500 children are born with the genetic disorder each year... |
Colorful Plates Boost A Picky Eater's Appetite
Parents of picky eaters can encourage their children to eat more nutritionally diverse diets by introducing more color to their meals, according to a new Cornell University study. The study finds that colorful food fare is more appealing to children than adults... |
Experts Urge BMI Method For Calculating Weight In Kids With Eating Disorders
An exact determination of expected body weight for adolescents based on age, height and gender is critical for diagnosis and management of eating disorders such as anorexia nervosa and bulimia. However, there are no clear guidelines regarding the appropriate method for calculating this weight in children with such disorders. In a study published online Jan... |
Binge Eating And Depression Often Linked In Teenage Girls
After carrying out a US-wide study, researchers report that depressed adolescent girls are two times more likely to begin binge eating as girls who are not depressed. In addition, girls who regularly binge-eat are twice as likely to develop symptoms of depression. The findings indicate that adolescent girls who show signs of either binge-eating or depression should be screened for both disorders... |
Anorexia Recommendations Challenged
According to researchers at UCSF, adolescents who are hospitalized with anorexia nervosa do not gain considerable weight during their initial week in hospital by receiving treatment based on current guidelines for refeeding. The study is published in the January issue of the Journal of Adolescent Health with an associated report... |
New Approach To Management Of Overeating In Children
Overeating, whether in children or adults, often takes place even in the absence of hunger, resulting in weight gain and obesity. Current methods to treat such overeating in youth focus on therapies that restrict what kids may eat, requiring them to track their food intake and engage in intensive exercise... |
Overweight Women Trained In Stress Reduction And Mindful Eating To Curb Weight Gain
Many dread gaining weight during the holiday season, but there may be hope for those who find that stress causes them to reach for yet another helping of holiday goodies. In a study by UCSF researchers published online in the Journal of Obesity, mastering simple mindful eating and stress-reduction techniques helped prevent weight gain even without dieting... |
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