National Eating Disorder Hotline:
Tel: 800-931-2237
Environmental Factors
Situations in a person's environment can lead to the development of an eating disorder. “The environment can certainly play a role in the development of eating disorders. These include traumatic experiences, feelings of pressure to look a certain way, sports performance requirements, expectations about grades in school, and family dynamics" (The Eating Recovery Center, 2018).
Emotional health is a factor that can contribute to the development of an eating disorder because it correlates directly with low self-esteem, which then can lead to body image issues. Perfectionism, impulsive behavior, and complicated relationships can all contribute to low self-esteem and make individuals more vulnerable to develop the disorder. “Many times, a patient’s drive for perfectionism to achieve his or her own personal standard of excellence contributes greatly to the eating disorder” (The Eating Disorder Recovery, 2018).
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Mental illness is another contributing factor to the development of eating disorders. Eating disorders often stem from another underlying mental health condition. Some of these underlying conditions include depression, anxiety and other mood disorders. Drug and alcohol abuse can also be an underlying factor for the development of an eating disorder.
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Another contributing factor is change. Change can be a small or big change that is happening or has happened, whether it is going to a new high school, starting a new job, or going through a breakup. These can be stressors, making a person more susceptible toward developing an eating disorder.
