Main Causes of Eating Disorders in Young Australians Research Paper 2022

Main Causes of Eating Disorders in Young Australians
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Abstract
The cause of eating disorders among the young males and females of Australia has been
hot of research for several years. This paper evaluates the leading causes of eating disorders in
the young people of Australia. It discusses how the causes effect the health conditions of the
youths of the country. The research would be carried through the use of survey. Its aim is to
enhance the knowledge about eating disorders among the young males and females of Australia
and how it is related to health risks for ultimately leading to growth of healthy young people and
reduce the health issues in Australia.

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Introduction
The eating disorders are a set of mental illnesses characterized by disordered eating
behaviors such as inadequate food consumption or overeating. This problem can affect
individuals of all genders and ages, regardless of social and economic factors. They are most
prevalent in the young Australians with rate of 22% between 15 years to 24 years. No single
reason has been recognized and they might take place in the youths through several
psychological, biological, environmental and socio-cultural aspects. Negative emotions and
thoughts about body image, low confidence as well as physical changes could lead to this illness
in youths. The paper will carry on research on the leading causes of eating disorders among the
youths of Australia. It will evaluate some knowledge gaps in the researches of this illness after
reviewing the literature. It will analyze the need of further research on the topic.
Literature Review
The eating disorders are not a single, but a group of serious as well as complicated
illnesses that could have a long-term and significant impact on the life of a young individual. In
the words of Allen, Byrne, Crosby & Stice, (2016), this illness has both psychological along with
biological causes and present within a youth as highly-disturbed eating behaviors and regulation
of weight. They are frequently characterized by severe concern or distress about body shape or
weight, and distorted body image that could excessively affect the positive self-image of a youth.
Some young people of Australia have physical image concerns connected with desirable
muscular figure alongside high levels of physical dissatisfaction and longing for building up
muscles prevalent among young males of Australia.

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Young Female
As mentioned by Atkinson & Wade, (2016), the young women are the most commonly
recognized risk factor for developing eating disorders in Australia and young females have 2.5
times chance of this illness than the young males. The rates of prevalence of this illness is higher
among the young women with bulimia nervosa along with anorexia nervosa, even though
occurrences of binge eating disorders seem to be evenly characterized throughout both genders.
For young women, this illness signifies the second leading source of disability and the third most
common prolonged ailment after asthma and obesity.
Young Male
It has been reported that eating issues and body dissatisfaction such as weight gain
behaviors and weight control are the concerns among the young males. Most of the young men
have stated their desire to change the size of their body, whereas approximately, majority of
young people detected with anorexia nervosa are males. In the opinion of Broomfield, Stedal,
Touyz & Rhodes, (2017), since, young males adopt excessive exercise as well as disordered
eating behaviors, it often led to increased physical bulk along with muscularity, the indications
for possible eating disorders often overlooked.
Prevalence in Australian Young People
Apart from some state-based researches and one national research on early arrival of this illness
among the young people, there is limited data available in Australia regarding the prevalence of
this illness among the youths. But, it has been found that binge eating disorder is common among
the young males and females in Australia. As stated by Dahlgren, Wisting & Rø, (2017), it has
also been discovered shape and weight concerns is higher among these people, along with higher

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rates of compensatory weight control behaviors and restrictive dieting. Some young people of
Australia have physical image concerns connected with desirable muscular figure alongside high
levels of physical dissatisfaction and longing for building up muscles prevalent among young
males of Australia.
Leading Causes of Eating Disorders among the Youths of Australia
No single reason for the prevalence of eating disorder among the youths of Australia has
been recognized and they might take place through several psychological, biological,
environmental and socio-cultural aspects.
Low Confidence
The eating disorder is related to particular personality behaviors, most particularly low
confidence. In the words of Doley et al., (2017), low confidence and self-worth could be
extremely common for young individuals with this illness. Monitoring food consumption and
weight could offer a sense of self-determination and control for a young individual, mainly in
circumstances where they might be undergoing lack of confidence and other vulnerabilities. But,
the secretive nature of this illness could lead a young individual isolating themselves from
repeating and positive personal relations, eventually increasing eroding defensive aspects,
negative self-esteem and social anxiety. In this illness, the quality of life of the youths of
Australia in the social as well as psychological spheres seem like to be mostly compromised.
According to Fogarty, Ramjan & Hay, (2016), it has been found that social impairment can lead
to anorexia to almost all the young people.

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Body Dissatisfaction
It is one of the leading causes of eating disorder among the youths of Australia. As
mentioned by Galmiche, Déchelotte, Lambert & Tavolacci, (2019), there exists substantial
numbers of youths, mostly young female, who are not satisfied with their physical appearances.
Concern with shape as well as weight, usually thinness, has been found to be one of the most
replicated and strong risk factors for anorexia nervosa along with bulimia. As per Gratwick‐Sarll,
Bentley, Harrison & Mond, (2016)., extreme dissatisfaction with the shape and size of the body
lead to disorderly eating behaviors such as fasting, binge eating, and usage of laxatives, self-
induced vomiting and use of extreme weight loss strategies that are same as symptoms of eating
disorders, but less severe and frequent. Even though disordered intake do not always meet or
lead to the clinical criteria for the eating disorders, it however set up both serious health issue
along with the most common risk indicator for the development of the eating disorders. It has
been discovered that the rates of disorderly eating behaviors had doubled from the year 2010 and
currently, it is projected to affect 20% of young women, even though it is possible that these
estimations might be understated because of the mysterious nature of the behaviors.
As stated by Johnston et al., (2018), it has been found that disorderly eating behaviors
along with dieting has commenced as trend among young people of Australia, a trend consistent
for both young males and young females. Another study in Australia discovered that young
females those who diet at a severe level for more than 1 year have a one-fifth possibility of
having eating disorders. In some young people of Australia with specific vulnerabilities,
disorderly eating and dieting escalates to the eating disorders very rapidly. In the opinion of
Wright, Halse & Levy, (2016), the particular concerning is that bodily dissatisfaction has become
the common cause young people of Australia, since it is regarded by youths in Australia as an

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accepted and a normal part of growing up and life. 90% of young females and 60% of young
males are involved in some form of diet. The restrictions of food as well as disorderly eating
habits are both risk factors for the illness and prevailing behaviors legitimized in the country for
pursuing ideal and perfect size and shape of the body are one of the causes of eating disorders.
Psychological or Emotional Stress
The eating disorder presents a behavioral response to several other core psychological,
physical health as well as emotional problems experienced by the youths. These may be
increased by substantial points of stress or changes, like starting a new school, or university,
relationship issues, puberty, commencement of a physical illness, moving out of home,
independent living, bullying, trauma like being victim of an assault or crime or the death of the
loved ones. According to Krug, et al., (2016), negative effects and stressful life events are found
to be positively connected with symptoms of bulimic binge eating and extreme weight control
behaviors in both young men and women of Australia. Within the predisposed behavior, or
where there exist psychiatric comorbidities, serious or long-lasting stresses of life pave the way
to the beginning of eating disorders, such as binge eating, bulimia nervosa in addition to anorexia
nervosa.
Use of Drugs and Alcohol
It has been found that use of drugs and alcohol by young people of Australia also leads to
eating disorder, particularly bulimia. More connections between use of drugs and alcohol, eating
issues and dieting in young individuals has been recognized where growing severity of dieting
connected with eating disorder has been found to be related with higher rates of use of cigarettes,
drugs and alcohol. Serious issues with alcohol are not exceptional for young individuals with

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eating disorder and the risks of developing alcohol issue continues for long time. Use of drugs
and tobacco is also considerably higher for eating disordered young individuals just like toxic
drugs and laxative abuse are linked with pathology of poor intake, increased risks of self-
harming and general psychopathy
Depression and Anxiety
Depressive is strongly connected with eating disorder with 40% lifelong comorbidity
estimation for anorexia alongside 50% for bulimia. In the words of Noetel, Dawson, Hay &
Touyz, (2017), young women those who feel depressed have twice the possibility of starting
binge eating in compassion of other women, whereas young women who are regularly engaged
in binge eating have twice the risks of depression. Although there has been argument around
these comorbidities, with the fact that depression has been over-diagnosed that is in reality
secondary to the condition of malnutrition. The relation between the eating disorders
demonstrates additional difficulties for effective treatment as well as recovery since one disorder
is overlooked while treating the other, which diminishes the possibilities of successful recovery.
Anxiety is also deeply connected with eating disorder with almost 65% of young people
of Australia with eating disorder meet the criteria for at least one anxiety. The social phobia is
the most common with estimation of 40%, along with post-traumatic stress syndrome with
estimation of 25% and generalized anxiety syndrome with estimation of 23%. As mentioned by
Wright, Halse & Levy, (2016), several common psychological risk factors are shared by the
eating disorder and anxiety such as negative self-analysis, perfectionism as well as pathology of
eating.

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Concerns for Body Image
Concerns for physical image among the youths of Australia is one of the leading causes
of eating disorder. The pressures for having good physique and unrealistic beauty is considered
to be one of the significant aspects which leads to increased levels of eating disorder and body
dissatisfaction among the youths of Australia, particularly the young females in the country. In
the opinion of Puccio et al., (2016), the dietary restrictions, weight concerns along with physical
dissatisfaction are the early stage of developing symptoms of eating disorder among the youths
of Australia. The restrictions of food as well as disorderly eating habits are both risk factors for
the illness and prevailing behaviors legitimized in the country for pursuing ideal and perfect size
and shape of the body are one of the causes of eating disorders which is difficult to recognize at
the early stage.
According to Piacentino et al., (2017), concerns for ideal body weight and image are
intensified for youths who take part in sports and other physical activities where they need to
focus on extremely thin or having low body weight. These consist of even though not limited to
modelling, gymnastics and, dancing, and might be more exaggerated at higher levels by
constantly monitoring the measurement of the body, which impact young male and female
athletes. In the words of Sibeoni et al., (2017), the healthcare experts and the coaches involved
with the young athletes or supporting them and, the sport industry plays significant roles in
preventing and early identifying the symptoms of disorderly eating habits and eating disorder.

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Knowledge Gaps
There is lack of consistent information on eating disorders on a national scale,
particularly, projected expenses to society, access to service and prevalence. There exists a gap
in the research about the impacts of this illness on the youths of Australia. Apart from some
state-based researches and one national research on early arrival of this illness among the young
people, there is limited data available in Australia regarding the illness. No information has been
gathered by the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) in this illness, whereas an applied
prevalence figures from a research of Sweden for bulimia nervosa in young female only as well
as anorexia nervosa in young female and male has been published by the Australian Institute of
Health and Welfare (AIHW). Another gap is that most of the researches on eating disorder
emphasized on the young females of Australia. It is a crucial concern that no nationwide
information is available for this illness. More research and investigation is needed urgently in
this field.
Method
For carrying on the research I would use survey method. The sampling will include
young males and females of Australia who have the eating disorders in last one year. 25 people
of various age groups would be chosen for the research. The participants would be chosen from
the list of healthcare facilities and chosen randomly from the list. A questionnaire would be
given to each of them and asked to respond to the questions. The results would be recorded and
sent to the participants through emails.

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Conclusion
The paper concluded with the discussion on the leading causes of eating disorders among
the youths of Australia. It has been found that almost 22% of the youths of Australia are affected
by eating disorders, but there are gaps in the research about the impacts, projected expenses to
society, access to service and prevalence of this illness among the youths of Australia. So, there
is a need of further research on eating disorders among the Australian youths. There is a need of
increasing collection of data regarding the illness in state and national-based youth health and
well-being surveys. Without sufficient information, it would not be possible to know the actual
nature, causes alongside prevalence of this illness in young people, the impacts of early
intervention and prevention strategies, as well as ensure this illness is a part of the extensive
statistical depiction which notifies mental health service designs and funding. There exist
opportunities for addressing research gaps and building understanding of the impacts and
prevalence of eating disorders and success of interventions in Australia. The researches on eating
disorder must emphasized on both young males and females equally. More researches must be
funded for understanding nature, causes alongside prevalence of this illness in youths of
Australia, including, the treatment of this illness and comorbid situations, support from peers in
early interventions, treatments, recovery; prevention as well as efficient interventions through
every stage of eating disorder.

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