There must be some reason why some girls are never happy with the way their bodies look while other girls are always comfortable in their own skins. Why is this? There are many factors, and self esteem issues are only one of the possibilities.

Gender is an issue. Eating disorders are more common in women than in men, but there has been a dramatic increase in the number of boys and young men who have developed the same eating disorders that their female peers experience; both anorexia and bulimia are seen.

Age does matter: while eating disorders have been known to either occur or recur as late as middle age, the bulk of eating disorder sufferers are younger, in their teens or early twenties.

Another factor is having someone who is close to you who has an eating disorder. For instance, if a family member or a close friend suffers from an eating disorder, your risk rises. This is counterintuitive but has been shown by studies to be the case.

Persons with compulsive behavior such as an OCD are also far more likely than the general public to develop these disorders. These people have a tendency to develop eating disorders as another way of maintaining control over their environment. Women who suffer from anxiety disorders or depression are also at increased risk.

Those who are intensely competitive in athletics or compulsive exercisers are also candidates for developing eating disorders. These individuals sometimes believe that the disorder will help them become better athletes.

Of course, peer and family pressure is a big factor in the development of eating disorders. Our peers have a deep effect on the way we see ourselves. Criticism from the people around us related to our bodies can actually cause the development of eating disorders, even if in jest.

If you happen to fall into any of the above categories, you should take steps to ensure that you won't fall victim to an eating disorder - or if you already suffer from one, prevent the condition from worsening. Ask your doctor what a healthy weight is for your body type and how best to maintain it.

Work on building your self esteem and confidence and try to avoid people who criticize you all of the time. Don't listen to these bad influences that are driving you to an eating disorder.

Also, don't fall into the mindset that there is something wrong with you if you don't look exactly like the models on the covers of magazines. Remember two things: First, most people do NOT look like this and many of these models do not look like this in real life! Second, even these same models will tell you that they are grateful for digital photo technology for making it possible for their own imperfections to be covered up for these photos.