Cited by 642Eating Disorders and BehaviorsNutrition, Health and Food BehaviorChild Nutrition and Feeding Issues

Research Review: What we have learned about the causes of eating disorders—a synthesis of sociocultural, psychological, and biological research.

Culbert, Kristen M., Racine, Sarah E., Klump, Kelly L.·2015·Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Eating disorders are severe psychiatric disorders with a complex etiology involving transactions among sociocultural, psychological, and biological influences. Most research and reviews, however, focus on only one level of analysis. To address this gap, we provide a qualitative review and summary using an integrative biopsychosocial approach. METHODS: We selected variables for which there were available data using integrative methodologies (e.g., twin studies, gene-environment interactions) and/or data at the biological and behavioral level (e.g., neuroimaging). Factors that met these inclusion criteria were idealization of thinness, negative emotionality, perfectionism, negative urgency, inhibitory control, cognitive inflexibility, serotonin, dopamine, ovarian hormones. Literature searches were conducted using PubMed. Variables were classified as risk factors or correlates of eating disorder diagnoses and disordered eating symptoms using Kraemer et al.'s (1997) criteria. FINDINGS: Sociocultural idealization of thinness variables (media exposure, pressures for thinness, thin-ideal internalization, thinness expectancies) and personality traits (negative emotionality, perfectionism, negative urgency) attained 'risk status' for eating disorders and/or disordered eating symptoms. Other factors were identified as correlates of eating pathology or were not classified given limited data. Effect sizes for risk factors and correlates were generally small-to-moderate in magnitude. CONCLUSIONS: Multiple biopsychosocial influences are implicated in eating disorders and/or disordered eating symptoms and several can now be considered established risk factors. Data suggest that psychological and environmental factors interact with and influence the expression of genetic risk to cause eating pathology. Additional studies that examine risk variables across multiple levels of analysis and that consider specific transactional processes amongst variables are needed to further elucidate the intersection of sociocultural, psychological, and biological influences on eating disorders.

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Crossref · 10.1111/jcpp.12441

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Authors
Culbert, K. M., Racine, S. E., & Klump, K. L.
Affiliations
  • University of Nevada, Las Vegas (US)
  • Ohio University (US)
  • Michigan State University (US)
Corresponding author
Culbert, Kristen M.
Venue
Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry
Publisher
Wiley
Published
2015-06-19
Volume
56
Issue
11
Pages
1141-1164
ISSN
  • 0021-9630 (ISSN-L)
  • 1469-7610
OpenAlex
W1941047028
Cited by
642
References
167
Citations by year
2026: 55 · 2025: 75 · 2024: 91 · 2023: 63 · 2022: 60 · 2021: 63 · 2020: 64 · 2019: 53 · 2018: 48 · 2017: 33 · 2016: 30 · 2015: 7
FWCI
5.69
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
closed
Locations
  • Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
Funders
Hilda and Preston Davis Foundation
Topics
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Eating Disorders and Behaviors
  • Health Sciences › Nursing › Nutrition and Dietetics › Nutrition, Health and Food Behavior
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Psychiatry and Mental health › Child Nutrition and Feeding Issues
Keywords
eating disorders, disordered eating, etiology, biopsychosocial model, thin-ideal internalization, media exposure, negative affectivity, perfectionism, negative urgency, inhibitory control, cognitive inflexibility, serotonin, dopamine, ovarian hormones, gene-environment interaction, risk factors, personality traits
MeSH terms
Feeding and Eating Disorders, Humans

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