11 Silent Signs You Could Have an Eating Disorder

You can be genetically predisposed to an eating disorder

Considering eating disorders are incredibly common, you might be curious to know what causes these unhealthy relationships with food and mirrors in the first place. The long and the short answer is both your genetics and societal influences. “We say that genetics load the gun and environment pulls the trigger,” explains Bonnie Brennan, the senior clinical director of Adult Services at Eating Recovery Center in Denver, Colorado. “Genetic predisposition, though not necessary, can play a big part in the risk.” A study in 2011 confirms that for white females, developing an eating disorder has a high degree of heritability. “More research is needed to determine the prevalence of eating disorders among those of different races and ethnicities, but we do see symptoms of eating disorders across all populations,” Brennan adds.

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