Final answer:
Anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa have causal factors that include both environmental influences, such as societal pressures and childhood experiences, and biological predispositions, like genetic links and neurotransmitter imbalances.
Step-by-step explanation:
The causal factors involved in anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa are both environmental and biological. Environmental factors include childhood abuse, parental control over eating habits, a fragile self-identity, social isolation, and the cultural idealization of thinness, especially in Western societies. Biological factors entail genetic predispositions and the deregulation of neurotransmitters like serotonin and dopamine, as well as the hormones leptin and ghrelin, which regulate appetite and eating behavior. A tenfold risk increase is associated with individuals having close relatives with an eating disorder, suggesting a strong genetic component.
Binge eating disorder, along with anorexia and bulimia, has both health consequences and specific treatments. The regulation of appetite, involving these neurotransmitters and hormones, is critical in understanding these eating disorders. Anorexia nervosa is particularly characterized by a distorted body image and excessive weight loss strategies, leading to severe health issues such as bone loss, heart failure, and potentially death. Bulimia nervosa involves cycles of binge eating followed by purging and has its own set of health risks.