Is Puberty a Risk Factor for Eating Disorders, Poor Body Image?
I am perpetually interested in the factors that serve to protect from, as well as those that increase risk toward, the development of psychological problems. While I believe that psychological diagnoses are a combination between genetic predispositions and environmental stressors, certain individuals and/or populations may be at increased risk. In 2001, my colleagues and I conducted a retrospective recall study of the effect of pubertal timing and perception of weight prior to puberty on eating disorder risk among more than 200 college-age females. We found that the perception of being overweight prior to entering puberty, but not age at onset of puberty, may be a risk factor for the later development of disordered eating concerns and behaviors, body image dissatisfaction, and related psychological problems. However, both age at onset of puberty and prepubertal weight perception were associated with greater emphasis on the importance of appearance and stronger drive for thinness, and p
