Eating Disorders Biopsychosocial Model

Eating disorders are considered to be biopsychosocial disorders. When one says biopsychosocial, they are referring to the social, psychological and biological aspects that are involved and influence the mental and physical health. The biopsychosocial model approach to eating disorders is that there is a relationship between an individual’s social environment (social), their personality and mental health (psychological) and the genetic build (biology). The theory of the biopsychosocial model is that not one of these aspects is strong enough, alone, to cause mental or health illnesses, but the relationship and/or interaction between the three combined. According to the Bulletin of the Menninger Clinic: “The Academy for Eating Disorders noted that EDs are biologically based, serious mental illnesses and advocated this position based on an emerging science that affirms with a reasonable degree of medical and scientific certainty that eating disorders are significantly heritable; influenced by alterations of brain function; significantly impair cognitive function, judgement, and emotional stability; and restrict the life activities of persons afflicted with these illnesses” (Wagner and MacCaugheltry, 2013).

"On one hand, there are objective typical disease signs and symptoms such as suffering, altered drive to eat, and electrolyte abnormalities, and it has been shown that genetic factors play a role; on the other hand, there is a self-destructive willfulness and treatment resistance to the point that EDs were not considered biologically based disorders in the past" (Frank, 2015). Psychosocial factors, such as family functioning, stressing to be thin, and high trait anxiety, have been evaluated and considered when determining what contributes to eating disorders. However, since most young people are exposed to and experience all of these factors, and not all have eating disorders, there is question as to whether or not there are biological factors that