Nine out of 10 people who have anorexia are females. 1% of U.S females ages between 10 and 25 are anorexic. This mental distortion about one's appearance usually develops during puberty and is commonly seen in adolescence and early adulthood. Why are so many young people expressly girls falling into this trap? Before we tackle this hard pressing question, we must understand what anorexia is, leaving the misconceptions our society has placed on this mental illness.

What is Anorexia:

Anorexia is not the fear of food (cibophobia) but rather equating thinness with self-worth and the fear of gaining weight (pocrescophobia). This fear and obsessive behavior can lead to not only physical complications but potentially causing every organ in the body to be damaged, including the brain, heart, and kidneys. This damage may not be fully reversible, even when the anorexia is under control. Furthermore, psychological and emotional consequences occur, such as; depression, anxiety, and obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD).

Reason and Risk Factors of Anorexia:

There is no definitive cause for anorexia rather it varies from person to person. However, there are biological, environmental and social causes/reasons as to why one might become anorexic.

• Biological: There have been recent studies showing that ionotropic GABAA receptor is responsible in shutting inhibition in the hippocampal pyramidal neurons that heightens Activity Based-Anorexia (ABA). The pattern that females are more prone to this mental disorder ‘strongly suggests that the gonadal hormone surge at puberty is a contributing factor to anorexia nervosa.’ There also have been twin case studies that indicate a genetic heritability, which accounts for 50 to 70% of the condition. There have been some recent studies exploring the gene that increases one’s risk for developing type 2 diabetes and its possible role in developing anorexia nervosa. This research suggested that anorexia nervosa is a metabo-psychiatric illness [with both metabolic and psychiatric causes] and may explain why some people living with the disorder struggle to weight gain despite their best efforts.


• Psychological: Some people with anorexia may have obsessive-compulsive personality traits that make it easier to stick to strict diets and forgo food despite being hungry. They may have an extreme drive for perfectionism, which causes them to think they're never thin enough. And they may have high levels of anxiety and engage in restrictive eating to reduce it.


• Environmental: Modern Western culture emphasizes thinness. Success and worth are often equated with being thin. Peer pressure may help fuel the desire to be thin, particularly among young girls. Western societies' tendency to judge self-worth in terms of shape and weight is superimposed on this need for self-control.

Moreover, changes in specific genes may put certain people at higher risk of anorexia. Those with a first-degree relative — a parent, sibling, or child — who had the disorder have a much higher risk of anorexia. This risk factor also leads to multiple misconceptions about anorexia. If one goes on a diet that DOES NOT mean they are going to become anorexic and exhibit self-starvation behaviors. However, if one is prone to have anorexia (biological, psychological, and environmental factors), dieting might trigger anorexic behavior. Lastly, it’s been noted that transitions are a risk factor for anorexia. Whether it's a new school, home, or job; a relationship breakup; or the death or illness of a loved one, change can bring emotional stress and increase the risk of anorexia. Once more, if these things do happen to you, that does not guarantee or indicate that you will become anorexic or develop anorexic tendencies.

Why Levels of Anorexia are Increasing in Females, and Recently Males:

Culture and globalization has a large influence on eating disorders. A natural experiment conducted by Becker et al. (2002) compares two samples of Fijian school girls before and after the arrival of television. This natural experiment was aimed to assess the impact television has on eating attitudes and behaviors, especially of Fijian girls. After Becker et al. compared the two studies, they noted that the 1995 group (who was exposed to television for a longer period of time) was three times more likely to have a higher EAT score of greater than 20, which is considered a risk for potential eating disorders. This experiment clearly illustrates how one’s behavior can change when exposed to a different culture for an extended amount of time. The movies the teenage girls saw were of Western actresses. In western culture, ‘being thin’ is seen as desirable. Post-industrialized, high income countries where fashion trends, sales campaigns, and media often present thinness as a desirable or typical trait. In addition, a stressful life event can also be a trigger for this eating disorder. For young girls, leaving home for college can be a stressful moment especially being bombarded with pressures in looking a certain way. For older women, returning to work after raising a family, finding a new job, or separation and divorce—can precipitate symptoms of an eating disorder.

Eating disorders are also prevalent in males. There are other risk factors that make certain men more likely to develop eating disorders. For example, being abused early in life. This may include being taunted and teased about their weight, sexually abused or harassed early in life. The act of dieting and vigorously exercising allows them to feel in control of how others perceive them, and that power of anorexia becomes addictive. The most widely-quoted study estimates that males have a lifetime prevalence (Lifetime prevalence is the proportion of a population who, at some point in life has ever had the characteristic. According to the National Institute of Mental Health) of 0.3 percent for anorexia nervosa, 0.5 percent for bulimia nervosa, and 2.0 percent for binge eating disorder.

There are some underlying differences between male and female experiences with eating disorders like anorexia. Males tend to be older, have greater rates of other psychiatric problems (such as anxiety, depression, and substance use), and engage in more suicidal behaviors. In addition males with eating disorders also have a higher rate of having previously been overweight. They also engage in typical purging behaviors and are more likely to use exercise as a compensatory behavior. While in females, anorexia develops in adolescents and young-adults. Girls also tend to reduce their weight through dieting and purging.

Treatment:

Treatment for anorexia includes three main goals. a) Restoring weight lost b) Treating psychological disturbances associated with body image issues c) Achieving either long-term remission and rehabilitation or full recovery. These goals can be achieved through psychotherapy and medications. However, usually, medications go hand in hand with psychotherapy, since the medication does not go to the core of the issue.

Within psychotherapy, there are multiple branches, such as Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) which is considered to be the most effective form of therapy for eating disorders. CBT focuses on nurture, helping the individual see the links between their thoughts, beliefs, and behaviors. This reveals the dysfunctional thought pattern and negative attitudes towards food, eating, and body image. CBT also builds a tolerance for the discomfort and distress surrounding food. This, in turn, normalizes eating patterns and helps individuals engage in behaviors that help support a healthy weight.

Furthermore, family therapy is another effective form of therapy, especially using the ‘Maudsley Method.’ This is where the parents are integrated as active agents, playing a positive role in their child's recovery journey. The reason why this specific method is effective is that when overcoming this specific mental illness it is a struggle to do it alone because your eyes are and can become distorted, causing a relapse.

Even though medication is an option its effects are limited. However, antidepressants or other psychiatric medications can help treat co-existing disorders that may also occur, such as depression or anxiety.

Last Updated: April 18 2022