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Are Eating Disorders Culture-Bound Syndromes? Implications for Conceptualizing Their Etiology

The authors explore the extent to which eating disorders, specifically anorexia nervosa (AN) and bulimia nervosa (BN), represent culture-bound syndromes and discuss implications for conceptualizing the role genes play in their etiology. The examination is divided into 3 sections: a quantitative meta...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Psychological bulletin 2003-09, Vol.129 (5), p.747-769
Main Authors: Keel, Pamela K, Klump, Kelly L
Format: Article
Language:English
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Summary:The authors explore the extent to which eating disorders, specifically anorexia nervosa (AN) and bulimia nervosa (BN), represent culture-bound syndromes and discuss implications for conceptualizing the role genes play in their etiology. The examination is divided into 3 sections: a quantitative meta-analysis of changes in incidence rates since the formal recognition of AN and BN, a qualitative summary of historical evidence of eating disorders before their formal recognition, and an evaluation of the presence of these disorders in non-Western cultures. Findings suggest that BN is a culture-bound syndrome and AN is not. Thus, heritability estimates for BN may show greater variability cross-culturally than heritability estimates for AN, and the genetic bases of these disorders may be associated with differential pathoplasticity.
ISSN:0033-2909
1939-1455
DOI:10.1037/0033-2909.129.5.747