Inc. All Rights Reserved. Eating disorders are abnormal eating behaviors, which include anorexia and bulimia. Anorexia is defined as the refusal to reach or to keep a weight that is considered to be the minimum required for a person's height and age. Bulimia is an eating pattern of repeated occurrences of binge eating followed by attempts to keep from gaining weight. Yes, if a person has an eating disorder, it is more likely that a close relative has had an eating disorder, mood disorder, or substance abuse disorder.
Females are much more likely to have eating disorders than males.
In the United States young women may have a greater tendency to develop eating disorders because American culture encourages females to be thin. Eating disorders are usually diagnosed in adolescence or early adulthood. Individuals with eating problems often attempt to keep this information secret from parents or friends. Therefore, other family members or friends must sometimes bring a young person s abnormal eating behavior to their parents attention, or they must talk directly with the individual about these issues. The individual can then be encouraged to seek proper professional help.