Causes of Eating Disorders | Risk Factors!

Don’t ever underestimate any types of eating disorder! If they are not properly treated, they can generate serious health problems or even sometimes (in severe stages) can lead to potentially life-threatening health problems! So, what are risk factors that can put someone at high risk of having this disorder? And what are the exact causes of eating disorders? Let’s explore more!

Before continuing to read, you may also like to read the previous post about symptoms and types of eating disorders!

Risk factors of eating disorder

Risk factors of certain disease mean some factors or conditions that can increase your risk of developing or having certain disease. So, what are risk factors of eating disorders? 

According to a published article on MayoClinic -- some events, conditions, or situations that may higher the risk of having eating disorders may include:

1. Certain activities (like certain work, sports, or artistic activities)! Models, actors, dancers (ballerinas), and even athletes (like runners and wrestlers) have higher risk of having eating disorders.
2. Dieting! Individuals who have a weight loss diet are more likely to look for more positive comments (comments associated with their changing appearance) from others. This is good to keep focus to weight loss goals, but sometimes can make someone to take and do dieting too far (too over), which eventually can increase the risk of developing anorexia.
3. Age! Eating disorders are relatively more common in the early 20s and teens. Nevertheless, they can attack across a broad age range (from older adults to pre-adolescents)!
4. The risk is also higher for individuals who are being depressive or having other emotional disorders.
5. Transitions or changes in environment, particularly changes that can cause emotional distress, such as loss of job or landing a new job.
6. If you have a family member with an eating disorder then you may also have higher chance to have the same condition.
7. Gender! Men are more likely to have binge eating disorder -- and women are more likely to have anorexia and bulimia! Nevertheless, bulimia, anorexia and binge eating disorder can occur in women and men!

Causes of eating disorders

The exact causes of eating disorders are still not known! However, many experts believe that there may be a lot of causes. Some possible causes of eating disorders may include:

1. Society! The style and social culture in this modern living may give a significant effect to many people (especially for young people) to have perception that thinness (or even underweight) is much better. Sometimes, there are some opinions that success & worth are equated with being thin!
2. Biology! As mentioned before -- in several cases, many individual who have a close family member with eating disorder have the same condition. Therefore, some experts believe that there may be inhered genes that can make certain individuals become more vulnerable to having eating disorders. Furthermore, some studies found that serotonin (a kind of natural chemical in the brain) may have contribution to influence eating behaviors.
3. Emotional health (psychological)! Some experts also believe that there are certain emotional health problems that may also significantly contribute to cause eating disorders.

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Reference: MayoClinic
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