Some people with eating disorders say they feel smothered in overprotective families. Others feel abandoned, misunderstood, and alone. Parents who overvalue physical appearance can unwittingly contribute to an eating disorder. So can those who make critical comments, about their children's bodies.
If parents have extremely high expectations of their children, children may learn not to disclose doubts, fears, anxieties, and imperfections. Instead they try to solve their problems by manipulating weight and food, trying to achieve the appearance of success even if they do not feel successful.
There is strong evidence that exposure to stress (e.g. abuse, neglect, loss of a parent) in childhood increases the risk of behavioral and emotional problems (such as anxiety and depression -- phenomena frequently associated with eating disorders) in teenagers and young adults.
In addition, other research suggests that daughters of mothers with histories of eating disorders may be at higher risk of eating disorders themselves than are children of mothers with few food and weight issues. Children learn attitudes about dieting and their bodies through observation. Therefore, parents or siblings who are often dieting and/or concerned about the way their body looks, may be acting as bad ‘role models’ for the other siblings/ children in the family.