Essay On Causes Of Eating

Examining the Causes of Disordered Eating
By definition disordered eating is irregular eating patterns that cannot be classified based on the set measure of other eating disorders (e.g. anorexia, bulimia, binge eating) (Leon, Fulkerson, Perry, Early-Zald, 1995). The most common types of disordered eating are bulimia, anorexia, and binge eating (Grossbard, Atkins, Geisner, & Larimer, 2013). Disordered eating is most prominent at universities. Research has concluded in the college age female population the number affected by disordered eating ranges from 34% to 67% (Corning, Krumm, & Smitham, 2006). It has also been found that men account for approximately 33% of eating disorders such as anorexia and bulimia (Griffiths, Murray, & Touyz, 2014). Eating disorders are not limited to one population or one group of people. Anyone can develop an eating disorder. There are numerous potential reasons as to why a person may develop an eating disorder. In our research we examine the different possibilities as to what causes an eating disorder and how it varies based on gender.
Causes of Disordered Eating
Stress
Stress is the pressure or strain from an external situation. Stress can affect a person’s life from eating habits to sleeping patterns (e.g. eating disorders, irregular sleep patterns) (Myers et al., 2012). Approximately 83% of adults believe stress is a contributor to health related issues (e.g. heart disease, depression) (The Impact of Stress). Research conducted by Myers et al. reported 70% of students were affected by one or more stressors (e.g. financial, academic, health, relationships). Females reported being more stressed than males (Lin, Spector, & Shi, 2008; Myers et al.). Most females in this study reported their biggest stre...

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... limitation was the questionnaire. Demographic, stress and general health were addressed in the study however because of other factors self-esteem, depression and weight could have also been accessed. Future research should focus on creating a measure that will access other factors such as depression and self-esteem which will help researchers gain better understanding of factors that can affect eating disorders. In addition focus on having a population that is more gender equal and larger will also be beneficial in obtaining better quality results.
Conclusion
The aim of this study was to determine how stress effects disordered eating based on gender. From the results we concluded that there was not significance between males and females and how much food they consume when stressed. Rather it was concluded that our population was engaging in healthy coping methods.