Can someone explain to me the reason behind eating disorders?

Specifically anorexia, bulimia, not so much in overeating.

I ask because a lot of people say it's about weight, but people who have HAD eating disorders will usually say it's about control, or perfection. I have always seen it as a control/perfection thing, but I keep seeing everywhere "people have eating disorders because they think they're too fat," and other things of the sort. So can anyone tell me what it is behind eating disorders?

Marg - weird fact.

Rude - I'm the exact same way, and I think you explained it the same way that I have tried to with people who think it's a weight problem, or how I look. Really, I'm a perfectionist, I know it, and all I want is to have that perfection in every part of my life, including what I eat and when I eat it.

Gosh! This is not a quick question to answer!
Eating disorders are a focus on the exterior body in a bid to perfect or erode the interior person.
Multiple reasons for developing an eating disorder are infinate, however the most common can include childhood abuse, bullying, genetic and personality (stress and weight concious).
You believe that you are somehow 'wrong' and need to change yourself. Lets get this straight: the thing that the person hates is their inner self, so they believe that through losing weight they will become a new person. The weight issues are a way of trying to deal (however unsucessfully) with the person they are on the inside.
Its crazy, but my eating disorder is sitting in my head now going 'thats utter balls!' because all i can get straight in my head is that i must lose weight. But i know somewhere else that this is true.
Eventually an eating disordered person get so wrapped up in their body and image that they only see themselves as fat. They see that the eating disorder is their control, whereas the reverse is actually true.
The control plays an imporant part in an eating disorder. You will find many sufferers fell into the eating disorder trap because they were desperately grappling for control somewhere in their lives and ended up turning it inwards. I.e. If you are dealing with child abuse or bullying, you turn it inwards and say that as everything else cannot be controlled, i will control myself.
Also i found that many of the women i was in the ward with had issues with their parents (usually fathers). It was all to do with making them proud and reaching a goal, being perfect for them because you believe it is your fault that they dont notice you, or argue, etc.
Hope this wasnt too rambling and i answered some of your thoughts,
Poppy

I don't have an eating disorder by definition, but I think I'm probably CLOSE to it. I am what I would call a compulsive exerciser with binge eating episodes and food issues in general. I think for me, it is about perfection. I'm very hard on myself, and unless I'm at my best, it isn't good enough and i"m not happy. So that drives me to exercise a lot, and to watch what I eat. Watching what I eat is extremely hard for me because I have a huge appetite and have always loved food - going out to dinner is almost torture because I'm forced to sit at a table for a couple hours, and to say NO to bread and butter, and other things I love that other people at the table are eating.

i had one, i was bulemic. it was becuz i was depressed about the loss of somebody i loved, and i felt like i should punish myself, and then when i got over that i couldnt eat without puking becuz my body couldnt handle food.

it starts out as a mental thing and leads to physical. and it suxx.

I think it is a control thing, you eat a lot and are able to enjoy it and then get rid of it...BTW did you know the Romans used to regurgitate their food so they could eat a lot

Most of the time it has to do with a mental problem. Or self conchesness! It depends!