What Causes Eating Disorders?
April 9, 2021
Eating disorders have the highest mortality rate out of all mental illnesses among teenagers. The most common misconception about eating disorders is that they are caused primarily by insecurity. However, eating disorders can also be caused by biological, environmental, cultural, or internal factors.
Biological Causes
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Many experiments have shown that eating disorders can be caused by genetics, meaning that a victim who suffers from eating disorders may have had it passed down to them by a family member. A victim of an eating disorder may eventually start to develop other mental disorders, such as depression or anxiety, as a result of the psychological effects of an eating disorder.
Environmental Causes
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Traumatic experiences or bullying may create a negative sense of self within an individual. Victims of bullying may start to feel as though they don’t deserve enjoyment or pleasure. Instead, they may decide to punish themselves for not having the so-called “perfect body.” Additionally, many teens strive to achieve the “picture-perfect” bodies of celebrities and models that they see on social media. However, not many teens understand that these celebrities portray impossible beauty standards with the help of photoshop and posing.
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Cultural Causes
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Many eating disorders are triggered by the expectations of one’s culture. For example, women in Asia often have to deal with unrealistic beauty standards, such as being extremely thin and tall. To conform to these cultural norms, many teens may resort to developing unhealthy eating habits.
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Internal Causes
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Throughout this article, we have talked about various external factors that encourage unhealthy eating, but certain internal factors can also trigger eating disorders. An internal drive to achieve perfection can cause an eating disorder. The obsession with achieving a “perfect” appearance may involve taking up unhealthy diets and obsessively exercising. While some people want to perfect their bodies, others want to completely change their bodies ’ appearance as a whole. When teens compare their bodies to the people they see every day, whether at school or on social media, they start to develop insecurities. In this state of toxicity towards oneself, individuals may develop unhealthy eating habits. However, the true road to recovery—the ultimately harder one—involves developing a body-positive mindset.
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Works Cited
Recovery, E. (n.d.). Causes of Eating Disorders. Retrieved August 27, 2020, from https://www.eatingrecoverycenter.com/conditions/eating-disorders/causes.
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Staff, H. (2018, September 11). Eating Disorders: Cultural and Social Factors. Retrieved August 27, 2020, from https://www.healthlinkbc.ca/health-topics/hw47995.
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Swanson, S., & Crow, S. J. (2014, September 25). Facts about Eating Disorders. Retrieved August 26, 2020, from
http://eatingdisorderscoalition.org.s208556.gridserver.com/couch/uploads/file/Eating Disorders Fact Sheet.pdf.