Cynthia Bulik Quotations

Genes load the gun, and environment pulls the trigger. These people who are genetically disposed to anorexia nervosa may be more sensitive to those environmental triggers, like dieting after seeing a fashion magazine.

Family studies show that if you have a family member who has an eating disorder, you're between seven and 12 times at greater risk for developing an eating disorder yourself.

Of course, the gene pool didn't change. The environment has indeed changed and cultural pressure to be thin has been greater on the younger part of the study group.

Body dissatisfaction can trigger unhealthy eating behavior and can also affect your self-esteem.

Our study shows a very clear and substantial biological component to anorexia nervosa, and my hope is that this will offer some support to patients and their families.

Fifty-six percent heritability -- that's a fairly large contribution of genes.

We need to stop viewing them as a choice. The patients feel guilty; the providers tell them things like they should just eat; parents are blamed; the insurance companies won't fund treatment because they think it's a choice. It's held us back for decades.

For centuries, we have been under very false stereotypes and misconceptions about what causes anorexia nervosa.

For far too long, people suffering from this disorder have had to deal with the theory that this is all societal, that somehow they choose to have anorexia, or parents have had to deal with the blame placed on them because somehow their parenting style caused this. Now, they know that they really need to go against the tide of their biology to overcome this.