Genetics And Other Common Causes Of Eating Disorders

Almost 30 million Americans may develop an eating disorder at some point in their lives. Eating disorders can develop due to a variety of causes, including genetics, chemical imbalances, a person’s home environment, influences from the media, and pre-existing mental health conditions. It can be crucial to seek help if you or a loved one are living with symptoms of an eating disorder. A convenient way to get professional help may be through an online therapy platform.

Risk factors for eating disorders

In general, risk factors refer to conditions that can make it more likely to develop a health condition or mental disorder. However, risk factors do not usually guarantee that a person will develop a condition.

Risk factors for eating disorders can include the following:

• Having a close relative with an eating disorder or other mental health concerns 

• Having a history of dieting, and dissatisfaction with body image

• Living with another diagnosed mental illness

• Having type 1 diabetes

There may not usually be a single cause of an eating disorder, but instead, multiple factors may contribute to the development of an eating disorder. While there may not be a single cause of developing an eating disorder, the type of disorder may be a result of an individual’s relationship with food. The different types of eating disorders include anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, binge-eating disorder, and avoidant restrictive food intake disorder.

Genetics

A growing body of research generally suggests that eating disorders may have a genetic component. Because eating disorders can also be socially influenced, it was once thought that they were learned behaviors, which could explain why they seem to run in families. More recent research has found that genes are likely to play a role, though exactly which genes are involved has yet to be determined.

Home environment

Family pressures may be an additional cause of eating disorders, especially in young people who may use not eating to exercise power that they may not feel they have in other aspects of their lives.

Chemical imbalance

Some eating disorders may also be caused by imbalances of chemicals or chemical receptors in the brain. Specific examples of chemical messengers in the brain that can become imbalanced in eating disorders may include cortisol, which is normally involved in the stress response, and dopamine and tryptophan, which can help us relax.

Eating disorders can worsen these imbalances over time. In general, fat is needed to produce some chemical messengers, as well as to help the body create or process others. When dietary fat drops because an individual is not eating enough or digesting food properly, and body fat drops because the body is burning it for fuel in the absence of dietary sources of energy, the body may have trouble sending and receiving chemical signals. 

In some cases, however, doctors aren't sure whether these imbalances exist because of an eating disorder, whether the eating disorder exists because of an imbalance, or some combination of the two. Regardless of which it is, restoring the balance of these chemicals through medication is often part of treating an eating disorder, at least in the short term, until the chemicals are in proper balance again. Treatment will also likely include talk therapy to address the social and emotional aspects of the condition. Always speak to a doctor before starting or stopping any form of medication.

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Personality traits like perfectionism

Eating disorders may stem from certain character attributes that many people have, like perfectionism, sensitivity to reward systems, and a strong appreciation for rules. These attributes may build a person's personality, but they can also contribute to the development or justification of an eating disorder. It can also be possible to develop an eating disorder while trying to follow a strict diet.

The influence of the media on body image

Eating disorders also tend to have a social component that can be determined by how society views body weight. This may also be why women tend to be more likely to develop eating disorders than men. Women are often pressured by society to be thin, which can lead to eating disorders, while men are frequently pressured by society to be muscular, which may lead to steroid use and other concerns, although men can also develop eating disorders.

This kind of pressure usually comes from the media, especially television, films, and advertisements. Television and film tend to make fit actors and actresses the heroes of a story, while heavier characters can be relegated to providing comedic relief, playing low-level villains, or may not be represented at all. Some films and television programs also contribute to the social power of eating disorders by glamorizing them or making them seem like a regular part of the teenage experience. 

Advertising can be even worse, as fashion models can be underweight, sometimes dangerously so. Images of women in advertisements and magazines are also often edited to make them appear thinner. This can mean that even people of a healthy weight may view themselves as not living up to imaginary or impossible expectations.

Social pressures from friends and family

Social pressures can also come from friends and family. Especially during the teenage years, pressure from peers to look or act a certain way can be intense. This can indirectly add to the likelihood of the development of eating disorders in adolescence. Some teens also learn about how to foster an eating disorder from friends, as well as how to hide one.

Not only teenagers may develop eating disorders, however. Many of the social pressures that can lead to teenagers developing eating disorders can also impact adults. 

Eating disorders may not only be partly caused but also encouraged by societal pressures, even well-meaning ones. Eating disorders can lead to weight loss. When this weight loss is praised, it can be seen by the individual as an encouragement to continue their unhealthy method of losing weight.

Seeking help

Eating disorders can lead to serious physical and mental health concerns, and it can be crucial to reach out for professional help if you have an unhealthy relationship with food, exercise, and body image. Many communities also have support groups where people with eating disorders can learn from one another. Your doctor may be able to provide additional information about community resources near you.

Therapy can be a crucial part of eating disorder treatment, but it can be difficult to discuss such sensitive topics with a therapist face-to-face. If you feel uncomfortable with traditional in-office therapy, you might consider trying online therapy instead.

Benefits of online therapy 

With online therapy, the sense of distance involved may help you feel more at ease opening up about your thoughts, feelings, and experiences. You can also choose between video chat, phone call, and online chat for further customization and convenience.

Effectiveness of online therapy in treating eating disorders

A 2021 study investigated the efficacy of online cognitive behavioral therapy for the treatment of eating disorders. It found that “treatment effects were sustained during follow-up, with generally large effect sizes for the reduction of ED psychopathology and body dissatisfaction, and small to moderate effect sizes for physical and mental health, self-esteem, social functioning, and quality of life.”