In 1980s, researchers noticed that binge eating disorders often clustered within college sororities. A more recent study has found that fasting and diet pill use cluster within certain groups as well -- especially groups comprised of females.

According to Reuters Health, researchers writing in the International Journal of Eating Disorders noted that "these findings confirm the strong social influences on female adolescents in the U.S. to be thin, sometimes using unhealthy behaviors to achieve this goal."

The clustering occurred in varied settings, including rural, suburban, and urban areas. Though the causes for these clusters have yet to be determined, researchers assume that peer pressure and information sharing are both factors.

Labels: eating disorders, clusters

Posted By: Aspen/CRC