Uncertain. But women are under more stress by society to be pretty and thin than men. Women must be pretty at all costs - guys don't have to. Yeah sure if you look around you see that men have to start being more pretty - but then if you look at the statistics you also find that more boys are cutting, anorexic, bulimic than in years prior.

The question posed has been and will continue to be discussed as a problem in today's society. Fortunately the issue is recognized as a problem, and now physicians and mental health professionals have data and experience in dealing with this. I can tell you, that it is not hormonal, and more emotional. Anorexia and bulimia is a physical condition and needs to be monitored closely by the physican. And yes, some counseling to assist in the awareness of the problem. The before mentioned as already commented on by others is more prevelant in woman for the societal issues identified. As to cutting, that is a completly different issue, and warrents immediate attention. Cutting is also very destructive, but it is a call for help now and not later. Best to luck to all.

"Usually eating disorders develop from a combination of contributing factors." There are biological, biochemical, neurological, psychological, and psychosocial causes and contributing factors to eating disorders.: ***NEUROLOGICAL/BIOCHEMICAL AND BIOLOGICAL*** As well as neurological, "there are biological and biochemical factors"--which "happens when one or a few biological processes in the human body have gone off track." --ZINC DEFICIENCY "...Most anorexics and bulimics were zinc-deficient. According to the release, a five-year study showed an eighty five percent remission rate for anorexia patients given zinc supplements. "Zinc deficiency has also been detected in people with anorexia or bulimia in most, nineeen, twenty though not all, twenty one studies. In addition, some of the manifestations of zinc deficiency, such as reduced appetite, taste, and smell, are similar to symptoms observed in some cases of anorexia or bulimia." "When this problem is corrected with zinc therapy in those with anorexia, they conclude, the resulting improvement in brain functioning creates an improvement in anorexia symptoms...." "What is interesting is that such an inexpensive and widely-available mineral shows promise, by itself, in establishing better brain functioning in this group." NOTE: "It's important to check with your doctor before beginning a course of zinc therapy, however, because too much zinc can result in other problems in brain functioning (Flinn et al., #). Medical assistance will help regulate zinc at the proper level for you." I take 30 MG of zinc that has 2 MG of copper--the copper is important, with it, I think my psychiatrist said. --PROBLEMS WITH THE CINGULATE SYSTEM; OCD SPECTRUM DISORDER. The functions of the cingulate system are (see the book Change Your Brain, Change Your Life, Dr. Amen): --Ability to shift attention --Cognitive flexibility--ability to adapt to change, deal successfully with new problems --Adaptability --Movement from idea to idea --Ablility to see options --Ability to "go with the flow" --Ability to cooperate--shifting attention and with getting stuck in innefective behavior patterns Problems with the cingulate system: --OCD --Obsessive compulsive Spectrum Disorders:"There is a group of disorders that have been recently labeled obsessive-compulsive spectrum disorders. People with these disorders get stuck on unwanted, repetitive thoughts and cannot get them out of their minds unless they act in a specific manner. According to psychiatrist Ronald Pies, postulated OCD spectrum disorders include: --body dysmorphic disorder (feeling that part of the body is excessively ugly) --compulsive shopping: Repetitive thoughts:"I need to buy this one thing! I need to buy this one thing! I need to buy this one thing!" "Compulsive shopping is another manifestation of problems in the cingulate system. Compulsive shoppers get high from the pursuit and purchase of goods. They spend inordinate amoungs of time thinking about shopping activities. This addiction can ruin their financial status and their relationships and have a negative impact on their work." --eating disorders, such as anorexia and bulimia: In eating disorders there are "repetitive thoughts that significantly interfere with behavior": ' despite rational evidence to the contrary" "21 year-old Leslie suffered from bulimia for 3 years. She got to the point where she was using laxatives several times a day in incr. doses, along with exercising for two or three hours a day. Her binges were also becoming more frequent. When she sought treatment, she felt totally out of control. During her initial evaluation, she said she knew her behavior was abnormal and she hated it. However, when she got the urge to eat, she felt she had to give in to it, and afterward she could not get the thoughts of being overweight out of her head.She had a maternal aunt who had been diagnosed with OCD.Leslie's brain SPECT study revealed increased activity in the cingulate system along w/ increased activity in her right basal ganglia. [POSSIBLE TREATMENT] With this information, she was placed in an eating disorder group and given Prozac (an antiobsessive antidepressant). Over the next three months, she improved markedly, to the point where she was eating normally, not taking any laxatives at all,and exercising less than an hour a day...In 1992 the Prozac Bulimia Nervosa Collaborative Study Group reported that daily therapy with 60 milligrams of Prozac significantly decreased the frequency of binge eating and self-induced vomiting. In the medical literature Prozac has been reported to decrease activity in the cingulate in obsessive-compulsive patients. onychophagia (nail biting) --Tourette's syndrom (involuntary motor and vocal tics) --kleptromania --hypochondria --autism --Worrying --Holding onto hurts from the past --Getting stuck on thoughts (obsessions) --Getting stuck on behaviors (compulsions) --Oppositional behavior --Argumentativeness --Uncooperativeness; tendency to say no automatically --Addictive behaviors (alcohol or drug abuse, eating disorders) --Chronic pain --Cognitive inflexibility --Road rage --DISTORTED BODY IMAGE AS A RESULT OF BRAIN FUNCTION. Do you see yourself as fat? No matter how much weight you lose? Are other people telling you that you aren't fat? Are you at an unhealthy weight for your height/age? It could be a distorted body image, like it was for me. I literally looked in the mirror and saw someone fat, when in reality, I was thin and unhealthy. POSSIBLE TREATMENT: Zinc worked magically for me and has had proven results in Anorexics. I started taking Zinc, given to me by my psychiatrist, after I told him what was going on, and the image distortion literally disappeared--along with the thoughts/feelings/and behaviors. It should help with the "image-distortion" my psychiatrist had said. (See above info). --ABNORMAL NEUROTRANSMITTER LEVELS, HORMONE IMBALANCES, CHEMICAL IMBALANCES IN THE BRAIN--INCLUDING HIGH LEVELS OF CORTISOL AND LOW SEROTONIN AND NOREPINEPHRINE LEVELS. "A wealth of research suggests that several different neurotransmitters are involved in eating disorders."...An aberrant neurotransmitter system could affect the I-function, and therefore self perception. Possible reasons for the faulty neurotransmitter system range from genetic to environmental influences. "Brain chemistry also appears to play a significant role. People with anorexia tend to have high levels of cortisol, the brain hormone most related to stress, and decreased levels of serotonin and norepinephrine, which are associated with feelings of well-being." --ALTERED LEVELS OF DOPAMINE. "New research suggests that women who develop anorexia nervosa may have altered levels of dopamine in their brains. Dopamine disturbances can cause hyperactivity, repetition of behavior (such as food restriction), and anhedonia (a decreased sense of pleasure). This neurotransmitter also affects reward-motivated behavior. Improper levels of dopamine may explain why anorexics feel intensely driven to lose weight yet feel little pleasure in shedding pounds." --IMBALANCES IN THE NEUROTRANSMITTER SEROTONIN."Serotonin is a neurotransmitter used in nerve cell communication within the brain. Serotonin plays an important role in controlling anxiety levels, depression, and impulse control. Perceptions of hunger and appetite are also influenced by serotonin." "Serotonin is, however, known to affect a wide range of mental disorders, including anorexia nervosa, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, anxiety, bipolar disorder, borderline personality disorder, depression and OCD, all of which have been linked to bulimia." "Some research has shown that an insufficiency of a special hormone in the brain called serotonin can cause depression and bulimia at the same time. This is probably why many bulimics also suffer from depression." "...Researchers in London found that anorexics have an overproduction of serotonin, which can cause a continual state of acute stress and anxiety. Reducing their intake of calories to starvation level, which in turn leads to decreased levels of serotonin in the brain, may result in a sense of calmness. Researchers have also noted that abnormal eating behaviors and the resulting changes in the body can actually cause a disruption in serotonin levels, thus contributing to an already existing problem. Abnormalities in serotonin levels can lead to depression and anxiety, both for under-eaters and over-eaters, as well as other mental disorders such as Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, Bipolar Disorder, Borderline Personality Disorder, and Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). Studies also suggest that there are genetic predispositions to serotonin disruptions that appear to run in some families." "Abnormal serotonin levels were accompanied by a higher rate of negative moods, perfectionism, and exactness—all personality traits associated with bulimia." "Low levels of serotonin result in depression. Binge eating may increase serotonin levels, relieving depression and producing feelings of calmness and well being. However, binge eating may raise serotonin levels too high, causing intense anxiety and agitation. The bulimic associates this anxiety with food consumption, and possible weight gain. To prevent weight gain, the bulimic purges. Purging lowers serotonin levels, causing depression symptoms and restarting the cycle of bulimia behavior." "The neurotransmitter serotonin affects binging behavior in bulimics. These individuals often crave (and gorge) on foods rich in carbohydrates. The body converts sugars from carbohydrates, through a multi-step process, into tryptophan. Tryptophan is then used to create serotonin, which is partially responsible for the regulation of appetite, creating a sense of satiation, and regulating emotions and judgment. Thus, the binge behavior of bulimics may also be a response to low serotonin levels in the brain. A research team at the University of Pittsburgh found that individuals successfully treated for bulimia still had abnormally low serotonin levels." POSSIBLE TREATMENT: "The successful treatment of bulimia with Prozac (a medication typically used for depression), which acts to increase the amount of serotonin in the brain, is additional evidence of the importance of this brain chemical." "Some antidepressants that work on restoring the level of serotonin in the brain can help some sufferers stop their binges while taking them. This could also mean that many sufferers, who manage to stop their bulimia for a short while, go back to binging again when they stop the antidepressants. Anyone who has been on antidepressants and has stopped should look for other supplements where they can substitute the loss of serotonin; I believe you can get serotonin in the health food stores in capsules form. Although taking serotonin on its own will not automatically stop your bulimia, as it is a much deeper psychological problem that a single chemical imbalance: but it would not hurt either." --ABNORMALITIES IN THE STRUCTURE OR ACTIVITY OF THE HYPOTHALAMUS. The hypothalamus is "a brain structure responsible for regulating eating behaviors. Studies suggest that the hypothalamus of bulimics may not trigger a normal satiation (feeling full or finished) response. So, even after a meal, these individuals do not feel full." --ELEVATED OPIOD LEVELS AND MALFUNCTION OF THE I-FUNCTION. "A few sources suggested that anorexics are addicted to fasting, apparently because of the chemical changes brought on by starvation. The opioids, enkephalins and endorphins are found to be at elevated levels in the spinal fluid of patients with anorexia. It is unclear however, whether or not the starving was caused by, or was the cause of, these elevated opioid levels. Some studies have found that drugs which inhibit the functioning of these opioids cause anorexic patients to gain weight. (11) Unusual hormones levels may also effect the I-function, causing it to once again portray an unhealthy body image to the self." POSSIBLE TREATMENT. Artificial manipulation of theses targeted hormones may help in the treatment of these eating disorders by bringing the I-function's self image back into consort with reality." --ANXIETY DISORDERS. There are good medicines for anxiety disorders, as well as natural solutions (such as Lumina--not to be confused with the sleep aid, Lunesta). And therapy would help. Also the book Change Your Brain, Change Your Life by Dr. Amen. --AGITATION FROM STARVATION. "Once malnutrition reaches an advanced state, the brain becomes so preoccupied with correcting the nutritional deficiency, a hyperactivity starvation response can ensue, making the patient very agitated and wanting to exercise to alleviate the agitation (see starvation response)." --BIOLOGICAL INHERITANCE. "Eating disorders are often biologically inherited and tend to run in families. Recent research suggests that inherited biological and genetic factors contribute approximately 56% of the risk for developing an eating disorder. Individuals who have a mother or a sister with anorexia nervosa are approximately twelve times more likely to develop anorexia and four times more likely to develop bulimia than other individuals without a family history of these disorders."Research suggests that a genetic predisposition to anorexia may run in families. If a girl has a sibling with anorexia, she is 10 to 20 times more likely than the general population to develop anorexia herself." "The personality traits which increase the risk of eating disorders are partly hereditary. Addictive problems or affective disorders (depression, etc.) are more common among relatives." ***PERSONALITY*** --"Some of the personality traits involved are: A TENDENCY TO PLEASE OTHERS and a LOW ABILITY TO ASSERT ONE'S OWN NEEDS; a NEED TO REDUCE UNSETTLING FEELINGS OF ANXIETY, DEPRESSION AND LOW SELF-CONFIDENCE; PERFECTIONISM and PROBLEMS WITH IMPULSE CONTROL. --PERFECTIONISM AND OVERACHIEVEMENT. "People with anorexia are often perfectionists and overachievers. They're the 'good' daughters and sons who do what they're told, excel in everything they do, and focus on pleasing others." "They do not accept half-measures, and when they get the idea of doing something they either do it completely or not at all." --TENDENCY TOWARD ADDICTION. "Both overeating and fasting can stimulate the reward centre in the brain. Eating disorders therefore function in the same way as alcoholism and drug addiction. The same personality traits which increase the risk of alcoholism and drug addiction also increase the risk of eating disorders." ***UPBRINGING AND CHILDHOOD*** --THE ABILITY TO DISTINGUISH BETWEEN HUNGER, SATISFACTION AND OTHER FEELINGS. This "is learned when one is very young. Faulty upbringing can interfere with this. The effect is often not noticed until later in life. More." "Many people with eating disorders are not aware of their physical feelings of hunger and satisfaction. Thus, they lack a natural control of their eating. Such people will easier be pulled into eating disorders, where they use eating to conceal feelings and escape from constructive problem solutions." --PEER PRESSURE. --PARENTS WHO ARE OVERWEIGHT AND HAVE AN EXAGGERATED INTEREST IN BODY SHAPE., FAMILY DEMANDS AND INSECURE FAMILY CIRCUMSTANCES. "Children of overweight parents, and parents with an exaggerated interest in body shape, more often get eating disorders. Also, demands from the family and insecure family circumstances increase the risk." --FAMILY ATTITUDES. --STRICT AND COLD PARENTAL ATTITUDE AND LACK OF SHOWING LOVE TO CHILDREN FROM PARENTS. --PHYSICAL, EMOTIONAL, AND/OR SEXUAL ABUSE/TRAUMA. ***UNREALISTIC IDEALS OF BODY IMAGE*** --AN UNNATURAL SLIM IDEAL. "Eating disorders often arise when a person tries to reduce to an abnormally low weight. The unnatural slim ideal may be therefore a contributory cause of eating disorders. More." "Eating disorders are more common among women and those who are affected by social attitudes and body ideals and who also lack the ability of following their own feelings and needs." --SOCIAL ATTITUDES TOWARDS BODY IMAGE AND LOSING WIEGHT. --THE INFLUENCE OF THE MEDIA CREATING A NEED FOR THINNESS. ***LACK OF SELF ESTEEM AND FEELING OF WORTH*** --SELF ESTEEM. "Weight control becomes a means of overcoming...lack of self-esteem." --FEELINGS OF WORTHLESSNESS. "They think they are worthless and so they must try to be special." --LACK OF ACCEPTANCE OF SELF AND OF BODY SHAPE. ***LIFE EVENTS/CHANGES, STRESS, ANXIETY, DEPRESSION, NEED FOR CONTROL, OCD, LIFE PROBLEMS*** --FEARS OF WEIGHT GAIN. --LIFE EVENTS/CHANGES. "Often, the illness is triggered by a major change in the person's life." "Problems such as broken relationships, abuse, or the loss of a job can trigger the original onset of an eating disorder."" It is "a way of helping them to cope with the stress that they are feeling." --NEED FOR CONTROL."They think that they lack self-control and so they must always try to exercise strict control on everything and everybody." How much they eat (and if they eat) can be the only thing they feel they have control of in their life. --FEELINGS OF HELPLESSNESS. --OBSESSIVE COMPULSIVE DISORDER (OCD). --AN EFFORT TO RESOLVE EMOTIONAL PROBLEMS. "When a person is unable to face their feelings, define problems, and resolves them effectively, that person is more prone to become susceptible to the onset of bulimia." --DEPRESSION. If the depression is neurological and not circumstancial, there is good medicine out there for it, as well as natural things. Sources: "Change Your Brain Change Your Life" by Dr. Amen http://web4health.info/en/answers/ed-psy-dysfunct-thoughts.htm" http://randyschellenberg.tripod.com/anorexiatruthinfo/id48.html http://eatingdisorders.about.com/od/longtermrecovery/a/relapse.htm http://anorexia-bulimia-help.blogspot.com/2007/10/cause-of-bulimia-nervosa.html http://serendip.brynmawr.edu/bb/neuro/neuro98/202s98-paper3/Hirst3.html WomensHealth.gov http://www.psychiatric-disorders.com/articles/eating-disorders/bulimia/bulimia-causes.php