Reply #32: The onset of eating disorders of all varieties are being

[Pharlo]

observed in younger individuals. Obesity was the first commented upon, now anexoria...

What the article doesn't examine is how much of it is now being diagnosed that was not previously? Reference the mention in the article of the man whose child has been diagnosed as anorexic and whose 18 year old sister died of 'unknown causes' (while she was maintaining a very strict nutritional diary).

Another factor not investigated: while numerical quantities of currently diagnosed sufferers is given, what is not mentioned is the percentage of the population under the age of 13 now compared to the same percentage in previous 'eras' - (for the sake of comparison, I would use the year of the death of the gentleman whose sister died as the index.)

I am, by no means, an expert on eating disorders. However, while I accept that each eating disorder needs to be addressed in a unique fashion, I think that the decrease in the age of the onset of all forms of eating disorders is just too coincidental to be 100% independent of each other.

In fact, I would go so far as to say there is a difinite coefficient factor here.

With obesity, it is assumed that decreased activity combined with the availability of high fat foods is the sole culprit. While I admit in most cases this may be true, I am also willing to contend that there are as many cases of low age onset obesity caused by chemical imbalances as there are cases of low age onset anorexia. The difference is that while the overweight child may not be in immediate imminent danger of death, they will, in many cases, suffer from depression and/or a loss in self esteem. Particularly if they are in a situation where they are constantly told they are at fault for being overweight.

I think low age eating disorder onset needs to be consecutively studied from a more general standpoint (inclusion of all types) and less in a narrow, specific targeted population (obesity, anorexia, OR bullimia). Perhaps the studies are out there, but I haven't come across these generalized studies, just the more single issue types. With a more general study readily available, assigning a root cause, or causes, with any degree of accuracy becomes much more probable. (To be honest, said study may be out there, I just haven't encountered it in mainstream media.)


EDIT: For some inexplicable reason, my fingers appear to be afflicted with a stutter this morning.