by Elle Reyac

Created on: November 13, 2009

The definition of cause in the Webster-Merriam dictionary is as follows: "a reason for an action or condition: motive"

In order to hold an entire industry liable for eating disorders, a court system would need to presumably prove that this source was the primary cause, or motive, for the undesired result.

Eating disorder's are a broad spectrum. Anorexia Nervosa, Bulimia, Bulimarexia, Compulsive Over Eating, Binge Disorder, Nocturnal Binge Disorder and Pica are all classified as eating disorders. These disorders/diseases have symptoms that range from starvation, binging and purging, chronic over eating, periodic binges of over eating, overeating only while asleep or in the night, to eating inedible objects. The belief that one industry that does focus on diet and weight loss is the primary cause of all of these disorders is ludicrous and ignorant.

Even if one was to attempt to blame the diet and weight loss industry for the eating disorders that do include weight loss obsession, they would be barking up the wrong tree. If you were to ask any health professional, the causes of anorexia, bulimia and the like are very in depth diseases.They have multiple symptoms, and even more causes.

Emotional distress, chronic anxiety, family dysfunction, childhood sexual abuse, clinical depression, obsessive compulsive disorder, and more are all causes of eating disorders. Numerous studies have been conducted to find a primary cause to no avail. If there is no pinpointed cause, this also means that there is no known cure. If there is no known cure, there is no almighty source to shake our fists at, bringing us back to the blame for the cause.

While the diet and weight loss industry may certainly have a negative effect on self esteem, and even trigger the symptoms of an eating disordered individual, they are NOT the cause of eating disorders. They are a very large problem. The industry does give women and men unrealistic body expectations and encourage an unhealthy relationship with food. The industry does primarily use female models that are clinically underweight. The industry does promote unhealthy cleansing agents and diet programs that do not properly nourish the body. They do not, however, directly market the idea to a person to starve themselves to death, vomit after eating large quantities, eating inedible objects, or overeat for long periods of time.

It is much easier this day in age to find a person to be angry at, than to take personal resposibility and do what we can to ease the problem at hand. Perhaps the attitudes of society is really what is to blame after all.

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