Toward an understanding of risk factors for bulimia.

Explores why women in general are more prone to develop bulimia than men and which women in particular have a higher risk of becoming bulimic. Risk factors for bulimia are discussed in terms of sociocultural variables, such as the central role of beauty in the female sex-role stereotype; developmental processes; psychological variables; and biological factors, including genetic determinants of weight, the disregulation of body weight and eating through dieting, affective instability, and family variables. The sociocultural and psychological mediators that contribute to the increased risk of bulimia in this era are discussed, including a shift toward an increased emphasis on thinness, the effects of media attention on dieting and bulimia, fitness, and shifting sex roles. Results indicate that female socialization is a major contributing factor in bulimia. Although significantly fewer men than women currently show evidence of bulimia, it is hypothesized that the general pressure on men to become conscious of physical fitness and appearance, together with certain male subcultures that emphasize weight standards, will lead to an increased incidence of bulimia in men. (51⁄2 p ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2013 APA, all rights reserved)