For example, restriction is used to pre-empt any emotion activation, while bingeing–vomiting is used after an emotion has been activated. Parental influence
Parental influence has been shown to be an intrinsic component in the development of eating behaviors of children. This influence is manifested and shaped by a variety of diverse factors such as familial genetic predisposition, dietary choices as dictated by cultural or ethnic preferences, the parents own body shape and eating patterns, the degree of involvement and expectations of their childrens eating behavior as well as the interpersonal relationship of parent and child. This is in addition to the general psychosocial climate of the home and the presence or absence of a nurturing stable environment. It has been shown that maladaptive parental behavior has an important role in the development of eating disorders. As to the more subtle aspects of parental influence, it has been shown that eating patterns are established in early childhood and that children should be allowed to decide when their appetite is satisfied as early as the age of two. A direct link has been shown between obesity and parental pressure to eat more.Coercive tactics in regard to diet have not been proven to be efficacious in controlling a childs eating behavior. Affection and attention have been shown to affect the degree of a childs finickiness and their acceptance of a more varied diet.Adams and Crane (1980), have shown that parents are influenced by stereotypes that influence their perception of their childs body.
The conveyance of these negative stereotypes also affects the childs own body image and satisfaction. Hilde Bruch, a pioneer in the field of studying eating disorders, asserts that anorexia nervosa often occurs in girls who are high achievers, obedient, and always trying to please their parents. Their parents have a tendency to be over-controlling and fail to encourage the expression of emotions, inhibiting daughters from accepting their own feelings and desires. Adolescent females in these overbearing families lack the ability to be independent from their families, yet realize the need to, often resulting in rebellion. Controlling their food intake may make them feel better, as it provides them with a sense of control. Peer pressure
In various studies such as one conducted by The McKnight Investigators, peer pressure was shown to be a significant contributor to body image concerns and attitudes toward eating among subjects in their teens and early twenties.Eleanor Mackey and co-author, Annette M. La Greca of the University of Miami, studied 236 teen girls from public high schools in southeast Florida. "Teen girls concerns about their own weight, about how they appear to others and their perceptions that their peers want them to be thin are significantly related to weight-control behavior", says psychologist Eleanor Mackey of the Childrens National Medical Center in Washington and lead author of the study. "Those are really important. "According to one study, 40% of 9- and 10-year-old girls are already trying to lose weight.