Onset:

There are factors and risks that may increase the likelihood that a young person will develop an eating disorder.

Maintenance:

There are also factors that keep the eating disorder going once it has developed.

(Kan and Treasure, 2018).

Precipitaing factors 

A precipitating factor is a factor that may trigger an eating disorder to develop (Kan and Treasure, 2018). These can include dieting, illness, and bullying.

Maintainting factors

A maintaining factor is a factor that keeps the eating disorder going (Kan and Treasure, 2018). This could be a lack of healthy coping strategies, low self-esteem, difficulty expressing emotions, trauma, or different personality traits (such as obsessive thinking or perfectionism).

Predisposing factors

(Kan and Treasure, 2018)

A predisposing factor is a factor that increases the likelihood that an eating disorder will develop. These may include:

Factors in the individual: such as​ being anxious, a perfectionist, low mood, problems regulating emotions, rigid thinking styles and obsessional behaviour​.

Biological risks: such as a family history of eating disorders, depression, anxiety or addiction​. There could also be food allergies or physical problems that restrict food choices and eating. Type 1 diabetes is also a risk factor.

Socio-cultural risks: such as size and weight prejudice and an emphasis on dieting​.

Family risks: such as major stresses in a family (bereavement, divorce, job loss etc).

Here is a diagram as an example of why a young person may have an eating disorder. It includes things that they were born with, things that may trigger the eating disorder and things that keep it going (Kan and Treasure, 2018). This will be different for every individual as no two eating disorders are the same.

Eating disorders are complex, with lots of different risks and factors at play. It is impossible to find one cause or explanation for an eating disorder.

With the right support and treatment, it is possible to recover from an eating disorder.