In recent months, there has been a tremendous amount of collective finger-pointing at the fashion industry as a cause of eating disorders among young people. Organizations like the National Eating Disorders Association have been calling for regulations and restrictions on the size and weight of fashion models. Though fashion images may sometimes reinforce an eating disorder, it's important that we remember that the true causes run much deeper.

"People with eating disorders share certain personality traits: low self-esteem, feelings of helplessness, and a fear of becoming fat. In anorexia, bulimia, and binge eating disorder, eating behaviors seem to develop as a way of handling stress."

Forcing the fashion industry to stop using models that are too thing and/or unhealthy may eliminate images that reinforce eating disorders, but we cannot forget that the fashion industry isn’t the root cause of them. Read more at SelfHelpMagazine.com.

Labels: causes of eating disorders