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Aetiological factors

Authoring team

This condition is the result of a combination of individual predisposing factors and social factors that encourage 'thinness' as a desirable social attribute:

  • genetic factors:
    • parents with established anorexia have children with a higher than average incidence of anorexia nervosa
    • twin studies support a genetic contribution



  • hypothalamic dysfunction:
    • if amenorrhoea occurs before any loss in weight then this suggests that the anorexia is a result of hypothalamic-pituitary dysfunction

  • social factors
    • the incidence of anorexia nervosa is higher in middle and upper classes where there is more concern about body weight
    • certain professions e.g. ballet dancers, and sports e.g. gymnastics and middle distance runners, have a higher incidence of anorexia nervosa

  • psychological causes:
    • Birch (1974) saw anorexia nervosa as 'a struggle for control, for a sense of identity and effectiveness with the relentless pursuit of thinness as a final step in this effort'
    • childhood temperament and personality traits such as perfectionism, rigidity, drive for thinness, and obsessive-compulsive traits may predispose to the development of anorexia nervosa during adolescence. Puberty and associated brain changes may further increase this risk (1)

  • family factors:
    • Kalucy (1977) showed that many families of anorexic children show an unusual interest in physical appearance and food

Reference:


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