Causes of Anorexia Nervosa

• Families. People with a mother or sister with anorexia are more likely to develop the disease. Parents who place too much value on appearance, diet themselves, and criticize their children's bodies are more likely to have a child with anorexia.
• Culture. The U.S. has a social and cultural ideal of extreme thinness. Women partially define themselves on how physically attractive they are.
• Personal characteristics. Someone with anorexia may feel badly about herself, feel helpless, and hate the way she looks. She has unrealistic expectations of herself and strives for perfection. She feels worthless, despite achievements and perceives a social pressure to be thin.
• Other emotional disorders. Other mental health problems, like depression or anxiety, occur along with anorexia.
• Stressful events or life changes. Things like starting a new school or job or being teased to traumatic events like rape can lead to the onset anorexia.
• Biology. Several biological factors including genetics, neurotransmitter regulation (neurochemicals in the brain), and other related hormones may be important to the onset the disorder.