History of Eating Disorders: Are Eating Disorders a Modern Illness?

Talking about a topic such as eating disorders can be very controversial in today’s world. Nowadays, people are divided into 2 groups, one which supports body positivity, and the other which succumbs to social norms about their bodies. 

With the introduction of social media’s presence in everyone’s life, there is this huge stigma against body positivity as everyone wants to look ‘skinny’ or ‘fit’. Although this might show that eating disorders like anorexia, bulimia nervosa, or binge-eating are recent, that could not be further from the truth.

Historical evidence shows that these eating disorders have been around for quite a while, just in different forms or under different alibis. Some of the earliest recordings of these symptoms which people relate to modern-day eating disorders go back to medieval or even Hellenistic times. 

Various reports nowadays show people in their early twenties starving themselves to death just to fit into a mould that society has set for them to fit into. 

Anorexia Nervosa:

In 1689, a physician from Britain named Richard Morton showed two cases of what he called “nervous consumption.” 

These cases are referred to today as ‘Anorexia Nervosa’. Several cases over the next couple hundred years were recorded with the same symptoms of a lack of physical explanation for the loss of appetite that the patients might be suffering from. 

In 1873. Sir William Gull, another physician from Britain coined the term ‘Anorexia Nervosa’. Although more recent research shows an increase in knowledge about these disorders. 

Some of Dr, Bruch’s ideas, implied that family dynamics can be a big contributor to causing these disorders. Although later proven to be outdated, early physicians have used the causes of genetics and biological processes as reasons which come into play even today.

Bulimia Nervosa:

Aside from anorexia nervosa, which has been noted to appear throughout history, Bulimia Nervosa has more of modern development. Gerald Russel, a psychiatrist described bulimia nervosa as a variant of anorexia in 1979. 

By the idea given by Russell, bulimia nervosa has always been a disorder related to cultural conditions. Purging was a common practice in early Egypt, Greece, Rome, and Arabic cultures where it was used to prevent diseases that were believed to come from food. 

Early Roman emperors were known to eat in excess and then vomit to stay in shape for wars and still enjoy the delight of dishes prepared. 

Throughout the ’30s, all the way through the late ’60s, there were cases reported of bulimia nervosa throughout the world, including Germany, England, early America, etc., but in the 1970s, the case reports of the patients resembled more to what we recognize as modern-day bulimia nervosa. 

Gerald Russell published a series of 30 patients between 1972 to 1978 who indulged in self-induced vomiting as an attempt to dissolve the aftereffects of episodes of overeating.

Binge Eating Disorder:

Binge eating disorder came into play even later, it was first recorded in 1959 by psychiatrist Albert Stunkard who called it ‘Night Eating Syndrome’ but since then it was proved that binge eating can occur without the component of the nocturnal time. 

In 1993, there was a cognitive behavioural therapy manual for bulimia nervosa and binge eating disorder, published by 3 physicians Fairburn, Marcus, and Wilson. This explained how cognitive behavioural therapy could effectively treat these disorders, it became the most studied manual for the treatments.

Eating disorders are valid illnesses that need to be looked into with proper care instead of being side-lined because of certain cultural traditions and taboos. It can have lasting effects on the body as well as the mind of the patient. 

While Anorexia Nervosa has been recorded and diagnosed for over 3 centuries, Bulimia Nervosa is believed to be more modern and Binge Eating Disorder even more so. 

With historical pieces of evidence throughout the ages, we have enough proof to show that these disorders have been around for far more than we imagine them to be, and there could be times where they went undiagnosed for years because science had not reached such levels to properly diagnose them. 

These are complex illnesses that have big genetic and environmental factors behind their cause. They can happen to anyone of any gender, race, age, sexual orientation, body shape, or weight class. 

Written By - Mohammad Arbaz Jalees