Discussion Question: A healthy body image is a critical issue in adolescence. Obesity, anorexia, and bulimia are severe threats to an adolescent's well-being. What physical and psychological factors play a role in succumbing to these threats? What preventative measures can be taken? Support your response with research. Discussion Classmate Response: Studies on eating disorders have found high levels of perfectionism, interpersonal distrust, and maturity fears have been implicated in predicting onset and maintenance of eating disorders (Holland et al., 2013). Perfectionistic traits may lead an individual to adhere rigidly to strict rules regarding what or when they should eat, place an over-emphasis on the attainment of the thin ideal, and be overly critical when expectations are not met; interpersonal distrust encompasses not only a reluctance to form close relationships, but also the reluctance to express feelings to others, which may contribute to difficulty in the self-regulation of negative emotional states; maturity fears reflect a resistance to assuming adult responsibilities and a desire to return to the security of childhood, which is a developmental struggle that has been posited to be characteristic of the onset of eating pathology (Holland et al., 2013). Targeting these psychological features in treatment may be crucial to averting the chronic nature of these disorders. Also, adverse life events may be one significant way in which the unique environment can act to increase eating disorder risk (Mazzeo & Bulik, 2009). The beginning of adolescence occurs around the onset of puberty and is therefore marked by dramatic changes in hormone levels and in physical appearance which includes rapid physical growth, changes in facial structure, and the appearance of secondary sexual characteristics. Prevention programs that focus on reducing risk factors and promoting healthy weight control behaviors were particularly effective (Shaw et al., 2009).