Since World War II, however, the number of anorexics appears to have increased dramatically. The situation is similar with bulimia. These questions are not easily answered. Nevertheless, researchers point to a number of factors that may contribute to the development of eating disorders. Let us consider a few of them.
Anorexics often have a distorted view of their appearance.
In affluent lands the fashion industry parades stick-thin models before young and impressionable onlookers, indoctrinating them with the notion that a girl is only as beautiful as she is thin. This distorted message compels many women to strive for a body weight that is both unhealthy and unrealistic. Despite this fact, some women will go to extremes to acquire what they perceive to be the ideal body. Of course, those who are most likely to fall prey to the media s artificial ideal are those who do not feel good about themselves to begin with. It has been noted that people who accept the way they look rarely develop obsessions with food.