What causes eating disorders

      –   Laurie Halse Anderson, Wintergirls

An estimated 1.25 million people in the UK have an eating disorder. Eating disorder definitions are set by a broad spectrum of classifications, from binge eating disorder to bulimia and a growing number in-between. Getting to the root causes isn’t an easy task for medical professionals.

We’re here to outline the most prevalent causes of eating disorders to aid us in preventing and removing them.

Is it difficult to define eating disorders?

In a word, yes. When we hear the term “eating disorder” our brain often creates an image of someone who doesn’t eat enough, for a reason we can’t quite comprehend. Eating disorders are a deep and broad area of research, complex in nature and certainly not easily definable. 

Some “eating issues” people simply have too many variables to be completely classified. There are however a number of official classifications, including:

• Anorexia nervosa: Commonly just called “anorexia,” this eating disorder is characterised by extreme weight loss and is also diagnosed when a child is ageing but not physically growing or gaining appropriate weight.
• Binge eating disorder: BED is what someone faces who goes through episodes of eating large amounts to the point of displeasure and discomfort. People with BED suffer from negative psychological associations with food when they eat, like a loss of control, guilt, or shame.
• PICA syndrome and rumination disorder: PICA syndrome is when a person chooses to eat something that is considered non-food and of no nutritional value, like dust, hair and paint chips. Rumination disorder involves regurgitating and chewing again previously swallowed food. Both demonstrate the depth and complexity of eating disorders in shocking ways.
• Other Specified Feeding and Eating Disorders (OFSED): OFSED is one of the broadest classes of eating disorders, encompassing over-eating, self-induced vomiting, and body image positivity carried out to a dangerous degree. It encompasses people who didn’t meet strict criteria for the previously defined “Not otherwise specified (NOS)” category of eating disorders, and OFSED is a good representation of further complexities in diagnosing eating disorders.

The list of eating disorders continues to grow as we deepen our understanding of them. Now that we’ve highlighted some of the most common disorders, let’s try to understand what can cause them in the first place.

What are the leading causes of eating disorders?

The exact causes of eating disorders are elusive, personal and hard to pin down. Human appetite is something we’ll never fully control, and the factors leading to eating disorders can be as variable as the triggers that make us hungry in the first place.

Similarly to many mental health conditions, a person might be more likely to develop an eating disorder through their genetics and their biological makeup. Eating disorders often form in the teen and young adult years but can occur at any stage in life.

Like many other psychiatric disorders such as bipolar disorder, OCD and schizophrenia, risk factors play a major part in developing an eating disorder. The most prevalent risk factors that form eating disorders include:

• Family history: In broad terms, a person’s family history and home life can be one of the biggest contributors to developing an eating disorder. Having people in your family who suffer from an eating disorder might make you more likely to develop one, too. For example, this study shows how having anorexia nervosa in the family increases the likelihood of a person developing it.
• Stress: Stress is a leading creator of both binge eating and the desire to overeat. Even something as minor as a stressful week at work can trigger the beginning of an eating disorder.  From a scientific point of view, times of high stress make your body produce more of a hormone called cortisol, which in turn increases hunger.
• Depression: Deep stress leading to depression can magnify the strength of cravings and comfort eating. “Emotional eating” is common among people suffering from depression. There’s also an argument to be made for a cyclical relationship between depression and eating disorders, with each one fueling the other. There’s an interesting outlook on it here that suggests how ultimately, to break the cycle of depression and eating, a deep identification of your depression needs to take place.
• A system of codependency: Codependency is a relationship dynamic where one person becomes the overall “giver” and the other “the taker.” It is broadly understood to be dysfunctional and harmful. Allegorically put, how can one person forever fill another person’s glass of water without slowly emptying themselves? In eating disorders, there are uncomfortable suggestions of one person’s eating habits being fueled or enabled by their partner/caregiver. Codependency systems work as a mediator between stressful periods of unhealthy eating. A dual diagnosis of an eating disorder with substance abuse can be prevalent in codependency, too.

How can I recognise an eating disorder?

This is a great question to ask yourself if you’re unsure whether you’re able to identify an eating disorder. When someone has an eating disorder, the signs are often not as clear-cut as rapid weight loss or constant trips to the bathroom while eating.

Let’s say you’re thinking about someone dear to you whose recent eating habits are forming uncomfortable questions in your mind. You’ve known this person for a while and you used to eat food with them. You know that they’re currently going through a tough time. 

You and this dear person live separately, but you’re really worried about how they’re doing. They don’t look as healthy as they usually do, their face taking on a new and uncomfortable pallor. From a place of care, you feel the need to ask them how they’ve been eating recently and are met with saddening deflections from them.

You ask them to join you for dinner one night, and they give you an immediate brush-off, saying they don’t feel like it. You suggest another time, and again, the idea of eating with you doesn’t seem comfortable to them. 

At times like this, you might be seeing the shadows of an eating disorder in someone you care about. They could also be withdrawing from friends and their regular social circles. Some people show anxiety and irritability around meal times or avoid eating with other people altogether.

Physical signs might be visible, but not always. Each person’s experience of eating disorders manifests in different ways, so take care to spot warning signs when you can.

I need help with an eating disorder that is affecting my life

As you’ve been reading, perhaps at times you’ve recognised the eating tendencies of a loved one or even yourself. The complex nature of eating disorders means that they’re hard to pin down, and it isn’t easy to shine a light on them. If it is the case that an eating disorder affects your life, that’s where we’d like to step in.

Here at Banbury Lodge we specialise in helping people with eating disorders. Our expert staff provides treatment for eating disorders with a personal touch. We use our comprehensive knowledge of scientific and holistic practices for healthier eating. We’re here for your loved ones, too, as they help you get through dark times.

Eating disorder treatment with Banbury Lodge is just one decision away. We’re here to help, so please use us.