Can a mother who has bulimia or anorexia pass this to her children? Oh, and another question, if the mother was anorexic or bulimic in the past, but now she is cured, can she pass this to her children now?
2006-08-19 05:55:09 · 5 answers · asked by Anonymous in Health ➔ Other - Health
Actually, there is ongoing research right now trying to figure out if it could be hereditary, since other mental illnesses are (such as Major Depressive Disorder, Alcoholism, and Bipolar Disorder). So, there's not a real answer yet, but from what I've heard it's looking like a possibility. A mother who is not recovered can, despite their best efforts, end up giving her children an unhealthy attitude about food. When you are a child, you spend most of your time with your mother and therefore pick up on her habits and mannerisms because it's all you know. If you grow up and see your mom constantly forcing herself to vomit, you think that it's the right thing to do because you've never heard anyone tell you it's wrong, and you trust your mother more than any other person at this point.
So, it is possibly hereditary, and is very much a learnable behavior that could be picked up by a child.
2006-08-22 20:12:45 · answer #1 · answered by cookie_riot 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It is definitely not hereditary, but if a person who feels a little chubby develops and eating disorder, they will naturally pass on being a little chubby onto their children and if their children start to feel bad because of the way their body is, they may develop and eating disorder. In my family, the women are a little chubby even throughout childhood, and that's just the way it is. It's like how some people just inherit a fast metabolism from their parents and are skinny their entire life. Eating disorders are not like diseases, they aren't contagious, or hereditary, they are psychological.It is best for parents to let their children know that they are beautiful the way they are.
2006-08-20 18:53:40 · answer #2 · answered by Elizabeth 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
No, absolutely not but the mother can be a horrible influence and terrible example on her children and put a WRONG and SCREWED up idea in her children's head. A mother should never do this to herself and especially to her children. The mother needs to think about ALL of the consequences. If a mother does this in front of her children or her children find out, then there is something terribly wrong and the children may have this sickness in their minds.
2006-08-19 06:04:26 · answer #3 · answered by Sapphire 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
No these are not herediary problems/disease. They are eating disorders. I don't think it has anything to do with genetics. You might be able to pick it up from your parents because you were exposed to it/the environment you grew up in.
2006-08-19 06:01:45 · answer #4 · answered by Sean 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
No, it's all in the head.
2006-08-19 06:00:14 · answer #5 · answered by bmdrumboy 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋