Structural Discontinuity and the Development of Anorexia Nervosa

Anorexia nervosa is a complex disorder in which emotional, physiological, and interpersonal processes are altered. Various studies have indicated that the disorder occurs disproportionately among females, with adolescents and young women particularly vulnerable. While explanations for this distribution have traditionally focused on medical or psychological phenomena, it is my contention that anorexia nervosa can only be understood in a sociocultural context. It is suggested that the following conditions are necessary for the disorder to occur: (1) individuals must be biologically predisposed; (2) they must be exposed to cultural pressures for slimness; (3) they must lack meaningful peer attachments; and (4) they must be embedded in a social structure regulated by universalism and achievement. The position taken here is that the co-occurrence of these variables is a relatively recent historical development and may account for the disorder's apparent increase during the past 15 to 20 years.