Eating disorders weigh heavy upon the U.K. population, afflicting an estimated 165,000 people. Women are at the greatest risk, making up an overwhelming 90 percent of those suffering from these disorders. Even more disarming, one in 10 will pay the ultimate price -- their life.

The way women process information in their brain might put them in a higher risk bracket of developing eating disorders

During this study scientists discovered that certain words used to describe body image were processed as threatening among women's brains and in a rationale way among men's brains.

The Two Most Devastating Eating Disorders

• Anorexia: Starving the body of food
• Bulimia: Binge eating followed by purging
• Account for the highest number of deaths among psychiatric patients
• Common causes include genetic make-up, stress at school, depression and death in the family
• Both conditions are closely linked to mental illness

The 26 participants involved in the study were asked to read two separate lists of words: one set contained unpleasant words used to describe body images while the other was a neutral set of words.

While scoring the images in terms of how pleasant or unpleasant they were perceived to be, researchers scanned the participant's brains using magnetic resonance. This was done to determine the specific parts in the brain that were stimulated during the experiment.

Unpleasant words were found to illicit a greater emotional response from women. Researchers explained that this was due to the amygdala, a part of the brain that becomes active when a person experiences threatening feelings, which showed signs of stimulation during the experiment.

The men, on the other hand, had the tendency to process the words in a logical manner. Unlike the women, the area of the brain that was stimulated in the men was called the medial prefrontal cortex, which is more often related to rationalizing.

Experts hope to use these findings as a launching point to better understand eating disorders and what triggers their onset. The findings may also help explain why women are 10 times more inclined than men to develop these disorders.

British Journal of Psychiatry January 2005;186:48-53

Dr. Mercola's Comments:

Last year, I wrote a story debunking the myth that being thinner is healthier for you. Among the unhealthy reasons people are underweight: eating disorders, including anorexia and bulimia that are epidemics, particularly among young women. This study sheds some light on why women develop eating disorders at a much higher percentage rate than men. It appears that women are more prone to developing eating disorders due to the way their brain processes unpleasant body images. In my mind this is clear evidence that these disorders stem from underlying issues that haven't been properly addressed. There are two primary components of eating healthy. The first and initial one is to understand what are healthy food choices for you; and that is one of the primary purposes of this newsletter and website that holds all the past newsletters. However, the second and for many the more important element would be a way to address the underlying emotional challenges that limit one from chosing healthy foods once they are known. Fortunately, there are healthy incredible tools that can help facilitate this process. In my experience energy psychology holds many of the answers. There are a number of effective techniques out there, but one of the most popular is called Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT). I have used it in my practice for nearly five years and am even more impressed with it as time goes on. We have a free manual where you can begin to understand how it works. However, if there are significant issues it would make far more sense to find a health care professional that can work with you to quickly and permanently resolve the issues that cause you to self-sabotage in the area of food choices. Related Articles: More Than 50% of College Women Have Experienced Eating Disorders Food Addictions May Have Chemical Basis Eating to Fight Boredom, Stress and Loneliness Overweight? Unrealistic Goal for Your Shape Change May Sabotage You 'Ideal' Body Images in Media Affect Men Too Just Seeing a Food Can Make You Crave It