- Eating disorders are common among teenagers and young adults, especially females, with over half of teenage girls and one-third of boys using unhealthy weight control behaviors. Anorexia and bulimia typically onset during adolescence or early adulthood.
- Anorexia is characterized by self-starvation and excessive weight loss due to a distorted body image. Bulimia involves binge eating followed by purging. Both can have severe physical and psychological consequences if not treated.
- The development of eating disorders is influenced by a combination of genetic, personality, and socio-environmental factors such as low self-esteem, perfectionism, family relationships, and societal pressures related to body image.