Remuda Ranch, the nation's leading treatment center for women and girls with eating disorders, believes our nation's obsession with dieting and thinness often triggers the onset of eating disorders.
"We have enough evidence to know that dieting can trigger eating disorders in people who are already genetically predisposed to them," said Edward Cumella, Ph.D., director of research and education at Remuda Ranch. "The eating disorder genes are like a loaded gun and dieting is the trigger that causes the gun to fire."
Recent findings from a study completed by the National Institute of Mental Health reports there is evidence the chromosomes 1, 2, 10 and 11 are implicated in anorexia nervosa.
"The strongest evidence is for chromosome 1," adds Cumella. "Anorexia and bulimia are very inheritable, just as much as schizophrenia. Fifty to 80 percent of eating disorder development is genetic. These numbers are higher than those for depression."
Remuda Ranch believes the new evidence should help reduce the shame individuals and families feel when eating disorders arise. It also supports the fact dieting doesn't work and it's dangerous.
Currently only eight states have parity laws to cover eating disorder treatment with medical insurance.
"We hope this genetic evidence will put into play legislation for insurance companies to cover the cost of treating eating disorders," said Cumella.
Remuda Ranch also hopes the findings will lead to better pharmaceutical treatment of eating disorders.
In addition, recent studies have found as much as 80 percent of obesity and 50 percent of binge-eating development is genetic.
"All eating disorders have strong genetic foundations," adds Cumella. "They're medically-based illnesses that should be paid for by insurance companies just like any other medical illness."
About Remuda Ranch Programs for Anorexia and Bulimia
Remuda Ranch is a caring place for women and girls who are suffering from ever-increasing levels of anorexia, bulimia and other eating disorder related issues. Remuda Treatment Centers offer professional, Biblically based programs exclusively dedicated to the professional treatment of females suffering from eating disorders. Each resident is treated by a team of six professionals including a psychiatric and primary care provider, registered dietitian, Masters-trained therapist, psychologist and registered nurse. The professional staff equips each resident with the right tools to live a healthy, productive life. For more information, call 1-800-445-1900 or visit http://www.remudaranch.com/ .
