Causes and Prevention of Anorexia Nervosa

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Causes and Prevention of Anorexia Nervosa
According to a study of the mortality of eating disorders, Fichter and Quadflieg found that individuals with anorexia nervosa experienced the highest standardized mortality rate 5.35 (391). In addition to dying from natural causes, such as organ failure, suicide is another common cause of death. Two-thirds of anorexia nervosa patients died because of suicide (Fichter and Quadflieg 395). Anorexia patients try to lose weight through extreme diets or even fasting, which not only fails to keep the balance of normal weight and essential nutrients for the human body’s consumption but also has huge negative impacts on mental health. Many young girls and women, as well as boys, suffer from severe problems with eating, body image, and various forms of unhealthy weight management. They may have low self-esteem or anxiety because they experience body shame and dissatisfaction. Thus, anorexia tortures a person in both physical and psychological ways at the same time, which is the most possible reason that leads people to suicide. Considering this, and the fact that the number of deaths is increasing over time, the potential causes and prevention of anorexia nervosa must be analyzed. Although many reasons may cause anorexia, most individuals suffer from anorexia nervosa due to the big effects of societal emphasis on thinness and negative family attachment. There is no proven method to prevent anorexia nervosa, but building self-confidence during childhood and adolescence is a possible prevention strategy.
Causes of Anorexia Nervosa
The Societal Ideal For Thinness
The societal ideal for thinness promotes body dissatisfaction and attempted dieting. Many cultures emphasize a slim body image on advertisements, the internet, and social media. Research has shown that sociocultural pressure to appear thin is a potential mediator of anorexia nervosa and eating disorder symptomatology. In a study examining the role of sociocultural pressure as a link between internalization and symptoms related to eating disorders, researchers have found that sociocultural pressure plays a significant role in the participants’ internalization of the thin ideal and eating disorders. Besides, results from the same study show that there is a correlation between media information influence and different symptoms of eating disorders (Pedersen, Hicks, and Rosenrauch 1). According to the study, the sociocultural environment significantly increases the risks of symptoms associated with eating disorders that occur before patients are diagnosed with the conditions, particularly for those susceptible to societal pressures. Diedrich defines a “sociocultural environment” to comprise of the media, family, and peers in the context of eating disorders although such an environment may broadly include social, cultural, and gender norms as they relate to body appearance, beauty ideals, and eating behaviors. Since sociocultural influences are possible risk factors for eating pathology and body satisfaction, including perceived family, media, and peer pressure to cut off weight, there has been increased research attention in this area (Diedri...