Causes of Eating Disorders

Abstract

Anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa have emerged as the predominant eating disorders. We review the recent research evidence pertaining to the development of these disorders, including sociocultural factors (e.g., media and peer influences), family factors (e.g., enmeshment and criticism), negative affect, low self-esteem, and body dissatisfaction. Also reviewed are cognitive and biological aspects of eating disorders. Some contributory factors appear to be necessary for the appearance of eating disorders, but none is sufficient. Eating disorders may represent a way of coping with problems of identity and personal control.

Weight status and psychosocial factors predict the emergence of dieting in preadolescent girls

“…Negative affect and low self-esteem have long been associated with eating disorders, although the evidence regarding the temporal and causal links has been inconsistent. However, as reviewed by Polivy and Herman (2002), the current view is that negative affect precedes the development of eating pathology, and the findings in this study support this conclusion. In the current research, girls' depression at age 7 and selfcompetence at age 5 were significant predictors of the emergence of dieting at age 9, providing evidence that negative affect is implicated in the development of disordered eating but that these variables alone do not fully account for the development of this risk.…”

“…Previous research with adolescents and adults has revealed that depression and self-competence predict dieting and restrictive eating behaviors (Polivy & Herman, 2002;Stice, 2002). The results of the current study show similar patterns for the relationship of depression and selfcompetence with the emergence of dieting.…”

“…Among adolescents, multiple domains influence the emergence of dieting and other eating pathology: family dynamics, psychological functioning, body satisfaction and weight concerns, maternal eating behaviors and attitudes, and child weight status (Polivy & Herman, 2002;Stice, 2002). It is likely that these factors also influence the risk for eating pathology during middle childhood.…”

“…The goal of the current study is to examine the contribution of weight status to the early emergence of dieting in preadolescent girls, independently and in combination with psychosocial variables previously identified as predictors of adolescent eating pathology (Polivy & Herman, 2002;Stice, 2002). Specifically, a multivariate approach is used to evaluate a model predicting the emergence of dieting in girls at age 9 years, using girls' previous weight status, psychological functioning, maternal child feeding practices, and family environment variables, measured at ages 5 or 7 years.…”

Direct and indirect forms of non-suicidal self-injury: Evidence for a distinction

“…We also did not predict any differences between the NSSI and Indirect groups on this measure. Additionally, negative temperament, depression and low self-esteem, while common in those who engage in NSSI, are also characteristic of those involved in abusive relationships (Grant et al, 2004;Matud, 2005;Zlotnick et al, 2006;Pineles et al, 2008), those with disordered eating (Joiner et al, 1997;Thompson et al, 1999;Polivy and Herman, 2002), and those who engage in substance use (Mertens et al, 2003). Accordingly we did not anticipate significant differences between the NSSI and Indirect groups for measures of negative temperament and self-esteem.…”