Anorexia, or Anorexia Nervosa as it is properly referred to, "is characterized by self-starvation and excessive weight loss. People with Anorexia refuse to be satisfied with even minimally normal body weight, and are intensly afraid of gaining weight and have distorted perceptions of the shape and size of their bodies." Bulimia, or Bulimia Nervosa, involves "repeated episodes of overeating followed by purging--getting rid of food and calories through vo

There are also much more obvious factors which are probably the most easily subjected with the development of self-control. Behavioral factors are the most noticible of all. I am confident in saying that we have all experienced the irresistable craving for a Krispy Kreme Doughnut at 11 p.m., or that delectable Cinnabun with a Venti Mocha Frappaccino from Starbucks while shopping at the mall. Wherever we go it seems that food is abundant and easily attainable. When we go go the movies and walk by the concession booths, our first instincts are to grab a Nestle Crunch bar and an extra large popcorn/soda combo and munch the movie away. At sporting events, we can't help but flag down the vendors two aisles away for that succulent corn dog and refreshing Coke. Although these are minuscule episodes and happen very sporadically for most people, they are part of our behavior when it comes to the consumption of food. People with eating disorders, in many cases, have learned poor eating habits from family and spouses and with that, usually accompany feelings of guilt (Hawkins 56). One must look no further than their kitchen to see what type of eating behavior they have. In many cases, bulimic and anorexic people live in a household with an ample supply of fattening food, thus increasing the chance of bulimics binging and purging and anorexics staying clear of food (56).

Certain psychological factors can also be attributed to causing eating disorders. Binging and purging can be accredited to underlying personality problems, where these internal struggles bring about feelings of anxiety and uneasiness which then get "stuffed down" after episodes of binging and purging (Hawkins 57). There is also an emphasis placed in the past of a person affected with an eating disorder. The caregiver, specifically the mother, may be blamed for instilling confusion between the feelings of hunger and eating urges (58). For example, I have seen many parents use the "snack reward" trick for cheering up cranky kids. The mother or father see their child crying or throwing a tantrum and automatically reach for the bag of Oreos or box of Ho-Hos, in which they usually succeed in stifling their irascible youngster. The child then feels comfort because it was the treat that made them feel content, creating a correlation between eating food and emotion. Eating disorders usually result when approriate emotional expression is not encouraged in the child (57). Many times, there may be unpleasant episodes in the person's upbringing which are repressed. The first step to acceptance is to probe deep into the psyche of the individual and single out the damaging events that influence eating behavior. The second step is to conjure up trapped emotion blamed on these negative experiences. Other psychological factors include feelings of low-self esteem, incompetency, and depression.

Although all the factors so far can be somewhat controlled with enough will-power, there are some factors that cannot be. Genetics, or the physiology of someone, presents them with a predisposition when it comes to body structure. Everyone's body works in a totally different way, and many people burn fat quickly and have exceptional metabolisms, while others aren't so lucky. Like my aerobics instructor would always say, "In order to have good genes, you have to choose your parents wisely." Along with predetermined body types come our hunger patterns. One person may be hungry more frequently than another, or require a larger amount of food to f

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