Do Eating Disorders Affect Only Teens?

Studies Show Biological Basis May Cause Anorexia to Persist Into Adulthood

by Kristi Caporoso

 

All around the world, body image is a prevalent issue--especially with women. And in most cases, a negative body image is the root of an eating disorder. Some may think that eating disorders only affect teens, but this is not the case. While adolescence is the period during which these disorders usually start, studies are finding that they often persist into adulthood. The reason for this may be a newly found biological base to the disorder. It is being shown that  people with anorexia have a different chemical makeup in their brain than people without it.  Their serotonin and dopamine levels are abnormal, causing them to have trouble discriminating between positive and negative stimuli (Kuchinskas). For example, when they smell or see food, while most people would be attracted to it, they experience aversion. This chemical makeup can be the reason why eating disorders can persist far into adulthood. It also gives new hope for possible treatments, such as adjusting the thinking of someone with anorexia. It is possible that now we know about the biological base of this disorder we can find numerous new ways to treat it.

Source: Susan Kuchinskas, WebMD