Adolescence, sexual conflict, and anorexia nervosa.

Anorexia nervosa is a life-threatening mental disorder. As many as one out of every 250 girls between the ages of 12 and 18 may develop anorexia nervosa. The high incidence of the disorder among adolescent girls suggests that developmental sexual pressure inherent in adolescence may be associated with the onset of the disease. The symptoms of anorexia nervosa appear with the onset of puberty and the development of the secondary sex characteristics. Symptom formation is related to the following developmental issues: physiological changes (menstruation and breast development) and psychological changes (body image and sexual identity).