Prevention

Eating disorders, like many illnesses, arise from a combination of genetic and environmental factors. While research is being conducted to understand the genetic contributions to these disorders, much remains to be completed.

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Although there is currently no treatment that addresses a genetic predisposition for disordered eating, and people cannot change their genetic risks for developing eating disorders, there are things they can do to minimize the impact of those risks.

Prevention is about taking charge of the environment: creating environments in homes, schools, and communities that foster healthy nutrition and exercise, comfort with our bodies, and flexibility in our behaviors and attitudes. These types of influences can help to decrease the impact, or perhaps even the expression, of genetic risk for eating disorders.