The development of eating disorders including anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, binge eating disorder, and atypical eating disorders that affect many young women and even men in the productive period of their lives is complex and varied. While numbers of presumed risk factors contributing to the development of eating disorders are increasing, previous evidences for biological, psychological, developmental, and sociocultural effects on the development of eating disorders have not been conclusive. Despite the fact that a huge body of research has carefully examined the possible risk factors associated with the eating disorders, they have failed not only to uncover the exact etiology of eating disorders, but also to understand the interaction between different possible causes of eating disorders. This failure may be due complexities of eating disorders, limitations of the studies or combination of two factors. In this review, some possible risk factors including biological, psychological, developmental, and sociocultural are critically discussed.

Competing interests: None; Source of funding: None; Received Date: 12 September 2013; Revised Date: 11 November 2013; Accepted Date: 20 December 2013

doi : 10.5214/ans.0972.7531.200409