Attachment theory explains the connection or tie between the child and the attached picture, a parent or guardian. Now it is starting to become clear that children with insecure attachment styles are prone to eating disorders more so than children with secure attachments.

When children interact with parents during the first 5-7 years of life, some children feel their parents are a reliable source of comfort and security. These children probably will develop a secure attachment style and become well-adjusted adults.

Other children may feel that their parents (or caregivers) are not reliable and do not give them a sense of security, support and comfort when it is needed. Some parents may even reject their children in terms of providing emotional comfort. These children probably will develop an insecure attachment style and will compensate for emotional distress them with food, alcohol and / or drugs when they grow up.

Now we know that a lot of anorexia, bulimia and binge eating sufferers turn to food treatment to find safety, comfort and emotional stability. Food is something that is always there and will bring temporary emotional comfort to suffer: it seems an easy way out of their emotional problems

There is no blame on parents, of course, because eating problems are complex. and many factors need to come together for a person to develop the disease. But what we know now is that cold parental attitude, very high expectations placed on the child, parents abuse or rejection are all factors that can force a child to turn to eating disorders.

As a rule, most of anorexia, bulimia and binge eating sufferers (almost all) have insecure attachment style, Anxious or a shift of personality style. Because attachment style is developed in the first years of life, it is understandable that the tendency for eating disorders is made earlier in life (probably in the first 5-7 years of life) previously realized.

A child’s attitude to parents (caregivers) is also directly related to the attitude of themself, their bodies and self-esteem, their thoughts about the world and people around them. It is also connected to their perception of safety (the world being a safe place or not). All these factors as we do now to influence the development of eating disorders in young children and adolescents.

Finally, attachment style is something we should look at when talking about prevention of eating disorders. We need to educate parents about how they can make their children feel safer and more secure within your own self. Develop a secure attachment style in children will help prevent eating disorders in many young people.