Health Tip: Triggers of Bulimia

Including an obsession with body image and weight

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(HealthDay News) - Bulimia is an eating disorder that causes a person to eat large amounts of food (binge), then vomit (purge) to avoid gaining weight.

While symptoms of bulimia are physical, the disorder is often brought on by emotional problems.

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Here are some common triggers of bulimia, courtesy of the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services:

• Societal and cultural pressures to have a thin and perfect body.
• Having relatives who are bulimic or who are overly concerned with body image and weight.
• Traumatic events or stressful changes in life, like a sexual assault, death in the family, divorce or a new job.
• Having low self-esteem, compulsive behaviors or a feeling of hopelessness.
• Hormonal or chemical imbalances.

-- Diana Kohnle