The Effects of Eating Disorders on Adolescents

Eating disorders are characterized as behavioral conditions, stemming from unhealthy eating habits that can have severe consequences for a person's physical and emotional well-being. Some of the most common types of eating disorders include: Anorexia, Bulimia, and Binge eating. Anorexia is among the deadliest mental health illnesses. People with this condition  typically have a fear of gaining weight and desire for a way to control themselves, and thus starve themselves, and eat little to nothing for long periods of time. Additionally, Bulimia includes cycles of binge eating, followed by self- induced vomiting, laxatives, fasting, or starvation. Moreover, binge eaters typically consume as much food as they can in one period, causing them to feel uncomfortable. All eating disorders can have profound effects on the human body as well as mental health. Unfortunately, the rise of eating disorders amongst teenagers and adolescents have taken a turn, as more and more young people are being hospitalized by this critical issue. As research on eating disorders has occurred for years, researchers have found many of the causes leading to this deadly issue. Peter Herman and Janet Polivy have studied the causes and concluded the common reasons include, but are not limited to, societal influences, family dynamics, emotional states, self-perception, and biological predispositions. 

Sociocultural pressures like the portrayal of unrealistic body ideals by the media, coupled with peer influence, can significantly impact an individual's perception on beauty and body image. In a study done by Griffiths with over 2,700 sexual minority men from Australia and New Zealand, researchers discovered that spending a lot of time on social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and Snapchat was linked to individuals feeling unhappy about their bodies and thus, struggling with eating disorder symptoms. Social media causes one to start to wish for a skinnier body. Additionally, family dynamics also play a significant role for the cause of eating disorders. When families are enmeshed, meaning boundaries between family members are nonexistent, and criticism regarding weight or appearance reaches high levels, an environment that fosters eating disorders is created. Negative interactions within the family can worsen feelings related to low self-worth and not being happy with one’s body which have already been prompted by dysfunctions. Individuals with anorexia typically feel the need for control, and thus feel fulfilled with starving themselves. 

Eating disorders are connected to negative emotions, poor self-esteem, and not being pleased with one's body shape. These issues lead individuals to engage in disordered eating behaviors as a way of managing these negative emotions and trying to regain control over their life. Furthermore, cognitive factors also play a role in the development of eating disorders. This includes distorted patterns of thinking about food, weight, and body image that can perpetuate such behavior. For example, one might start to see certain foods as "good" or "bad," leading to strict rules or guilt around eating. They might also obsessively focus on their weight or body shape, believing that their worth is tied to how they look. These distorted thoughts can drive disordered eating behaviors, like restricting food intake, binge eating, or purging, as individuals try to cope with negative emotions or regain a sense of control over their lives. While other biological influences include genetic predispositions, coupled with neurochemical imbalances, which may make an individual more likely to develop an eating disorder. Genetic predispositions to eating disorders can involve a variety of factors, such as family history or inherited traits related to metabolism, appetite regulation, or brain chemistry. For example, certain genetic variations may influence how the brain responds to food or how the body processes nutrients, increasing susceptibility to disordered eating patterns. Individuals with a family history of eating disorders are more likely to develop one themselves, suggesting a hereditary component. As for other mental illnesses, the highest rates of conditions with eating disorders are often seen in mood disorders like depression, and anxiety disorders, particularly obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). Depression can exacerbate feelings of worthlessness or low self-esteem, while anxiety and OCD can contribute to obsessive thoughts about food, weight, and body image. Furthermore, trauma-related disorders like post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) can also co-occur with eating disorders, as past traumatic experiences may influence one's relationship with food and body image. These individual components are not capable of being the only cause for eating disorders, but their coexistence can lead to it. Consequently, many factors contribute to the onset of these conditions, including, contributory components and other individual differences or experiences that an individual may have had. 

At the root, eating disorders are not just simple maladaptive behaviors; they are far more complicated and have serious repercussions on physical health and emotional wellness. Anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, and binge eating disorder stand as the most common examples of these conditions, each with its own unique disordered eating behavior pattern. The increasing numbers of these cases, especially among young people, call for an immediate need to grasp what causes them and how best to tackle them. 

Written by: Joshita Mothi 

Works Cited:

Griffiths, Scott et al. “The Contribution of Social Media to Body Dissatisfaction, Eating Disorder Symptoms, and Anabolic Steroid Use Among Sexual Minority Men.” Cyberpsychology, behavior and social networking vol. 21,3 (2018): 149-156. doi:10.1089/cyber.2017.0375

Polivy, Janet, and C Peter Herman. “Causes of eating disorders.” Annual review of psychology vol. 53 (2002): 187-213. doi:10.1146/annurev.psych.53.100901.135103

Saul, Jenna et al. “Adolescent Eating Disorder Risk and the Social Online World: An Update.” Child and adolescent psychiatric clinics of North America vol. 31,1 (2022): 167-177. doi:10.1016/j.chc.2021.09.004