There must be some reason why some girls are never happy with the way their bodies look while other girls are always comfortable in their own skins. Why is this? There are many factors, and self esteem issues are only one of the possibilities.

Gender is definitely an influence in whether or not you'll tend to develop an eating disorder. Even though women still outnumber men, the number of young males diagnosed with eating disorders such as anorexia or bulimia is rising at a distressing rate.

Your age is another consideration. No one is impervious to having an eating disorder - they can even arise at some point in middle age. But most commonly, the problem starts much sooner, usually in adolescence or your early twenties.

Your chance of developing an eating disorder increases greatly if a family member also suffers from a disorder. You might think it would influence you in the opposite direction, but instead it sometimes makes it socially acceptable.

Persons with compulsive behavior such as an OCD are also far more likely than the general public to develop these disorders. These people have a tendency to develop eating disorders as another way of maintaining control over their environment. Women who suffer from anxiety disorders or depression are also at increased risk.

Another risk factor is having a fixation with exercise. If you're overdoing it at the gym or you participate in competitive athletics, then you could be more likely to develop an eating disorder because you incorrectly think that depriving your body of food will improve your performance.

And then there are the societal pressures that impact your self image to a huge extent. If your mom or sister frequently remarks on your less-than-perfect body and hints that you could lose a few pounds, even with a teasing approach, things can take a terrible twist into an eating disorder that destroys your body.

To prevent yourself from developing or further involving yourself in an eating disorder lifestyle, youll want to take action if you fit any of these profiles. Discuss this issue with your physician and have him or her help you determine what would be considered a healthy weight and diet for your particular body type.

Don't pay attention to the negative voices that try to sway you. Develop your self confidence and hang out with upbeat people who don't constantly belittle you.

Don't get caught up in the dream of looking like the anorexic cover girl on the latest fashion magazine. Even the most gorgeous models will acknowledge that they are grateful for the photo retouching software that makes their bodies look so perfect.