Why People Develop Eating Disorders

Let's start with some statistics.

• 1 in 4 out of every girl on college campuses has an eating disorder
• 85% of eating disorders develop during adolesence
• An eating disorder WILL kill you (if left unchecked)

When it comes to essentially every eating disorder out there, with the exception of binge-eating disorder, which I think is something entirely different, I think that you can really narrow down the root cause to one simple reason: a desire to be viewed as worthwhile. 

Think about it. This is something that all of us have programmed within us. We all want to be somebody. We all want to know that our existence is not meaningless, that people like us, that we're fun to be around. And when we don't feel these things, then we become willing to turn to drastic measures. We all want to measure up. 

However, sometimes people get their idea of self-worth from things that have no shred of truth in them whatsoever. If I'm beautiful, then people will like me. If people think I'm attractive, then I'll be worth their while. I'll be a somebody. 

Where do these ideas stem from though?

Here's an interesting fact for you. Industrialized nations have a much higher rate of eating disorders than less-developed nations. What does this mean? This means that the United States, Italy, France, the U.K. etc, are going to have a much higher rate of eating disorders than nations such as Nepal, Sudan, or Afghanistan ever will. 

But wait a minute, you say. Isn't that a false analogy? I mean some of those people don't even have enough food to eat. Of course they won't be able to develop an eating disorder.

Here's a study for you. 

On the island of Fiji, a nation that you could consider underdeveloped, but where people still have plenty of food, a study was performed.

Western media, mainly in the form of TV shows, which were previously unheard of to the country were introduced. Unfortunately, after a period of time, eating disorders, which were also previously unheard of to the country, began to spread like wildfire. Here's a cool summary of the study.

We are influenced by our environment more than we like to give it credit for. The media is a perfect example of this. We are way more influenced by the media than we would ever think, and a strong media presence has been tied to the development of eating disorders. A history of sexual/physical abuse, critical parents, or harsh comments being made by people in regards to weight are also risk factors for developing an eating disorder, but overall, I think that the media can be traced back to a lot of the cases that we are seeing in the States today.

I think that this is why more industrialized nations have a higher rate of eating disorders than under-developed nations. We have a stronger media presence. We have more free time, greater access to media, and people are actually able to find jobs within media that don't exist in developing countries. 

Society elevates people that it deems as attractive, and the media is full of these people. When these 'role models' (I use the term loosely) are constantly infiltrating peoples' lives, they become something that people aspire to be. And when people cannot attain these lofty standards, depression sets in, and they become susceptible to doing something drastic. Adolescents in particular are extremely susceptible to this influence. 

Now am I saying that ESPN, the radio, and just TV in general are evil? Absolutely not. I love TV. I watch it all the time. What I am saying though is that we do need to monitor our thought processes, as well as what we are filling our minds with. 

So, how can you avoid watching somebody you love end up suffering from this debilitating condition? 

First, watch your mouth. Don't say something stupidly hateful. It's okay to be concerned about somebody's weight, and to let them know that. Doctors do it all the time, and I sincerely think that sometimes saying something about this can be an act of love. Obesity kills too. 

However, be sensitive. Offer support. Don't just tell them that they're getting 'kind of chunky', or something flammable like that. Sometimes words aren't even necessary. Set a positive example for health, and your friends/kids will follow. Good health habits are contagious. 

Second, sound parenting. Don't put your child down. Ever. Be the biggest source of encouragement that they have in their lives. 

And lastly, make sure your kids know that their worth is not dependent on their looks. 

Eating disorders often develop when these factors are missing from peoples' lives. Be a source of encouragement. Be a leader. Exercise wisdom, love, and truth. It's only when we do these things that we will see a decline in the number of cases nationwide.