Are Eating Disorders Genetic?

Dr. Kaye talks about the genetic factors of eating disorders

Are eating disorders based on our genes, or are they based on our environment? This is a long-debated question, and scientists have decided that our genes may account for about 50-80% of our eating disorder susceptibility. However, this doesn’t mean that there is an “eating disorder gene.” Dr. Kaye talks about how perfectionism runs very strongly in certain families, and this gene can easily lead to the development of an eating disorder or other obsessive-compulsive disorder. Watch to find out how perfectionism plays a role in eating disorders.

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