Anorexia nervosa (AN) and bulimia nervosa (BN) have become central to feminist discussions of the female body. Over 90 percent of those experiencing these eating behaviours are girls and women (Kuba & Hanchey, 1991; Prince, 1985; Siever, 1996), thereby implicating gender as the critical lens through which to examine their etiologies. Moreover, the development of anorexic and bulimic eating patterns most often occurs during adolescence and during late adolescence or early adulthood, respectively (Kuba & Hanchey, 1991). As a consequence, the gender-specific experiences of girls during childhood have become an increasing focus of attention. In particular, the relationship of childhood abuse and the development of eating disorders has been increasingly hypothesized and studied over the last decade (Miller, 1996). Within the literature, the interpretation of the girl's body in relation to her sociocultural context, her personal history, and her own sense of self remain contested. --From main document.
