A study conducted by the British charity Beat has revealed that almost half of young people who have an eating disorder believe that being bullied played a role in their development of the disorder.

BBC Newsbeat reporter Maddy Savage provided the following details in a Nov. 19 article:

Researchers spoke to more than 600 16 to 25-year-olds suffering from anorexia, bulimia or overeating.

Of those, 91 percent said they had been bullied, while 46 percent said they believed that bullying had contributed to their eating disorder. &

The charity says there needs to be more urgent, detailed research into links between bullying and eating disorders.

The government insists it is cracking down on bullying and it understands the impact it can have on young people's confidence, self-esteem and mental health.

Labels: causes of eating disorders, bullying

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In what may be a first-of-its-kind lawsuit, the Pittsburgh Public School district is being sued by a mother who claims her daughter developed anorexia as the result of bullying that went unchecked by school administrators.

The Associated Press reported the following details:

The girl was in a program for gifted students, made straights A's and was active in community and volunteer programs, the lawsuit said. The lawsuit contends a guidance counselor did nothing to stop the bullying. The next year, in seventh grade, two other boys joined in the daily harassment.

Lynn Grefe, CEO of the National Eating Disorders Association, argues that people who struggle with eating disorder often have issues with anxiety and perfectionism or are obsessive-compulsive. While bullying may be a trigger for these people, she told the AP, it is not likely to be the primary cause.

Labels: causes of eating disorders, bullying, lawsuit

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