A series of chemical imbalances, dysfunctional family life, perfectionistic tendencies, unrealistic goals and expectations, low self-esteem and the need to control something in one's life leads to anorexia. Not looking at pictures of thin people in magazines.

If seeing thin people in the media causes eating disorders, why doesn't every man and women in America have one? Why is fast food so successful? Everyday, everyone sees unrealistic and extremely airbrushed advertisements portraying models of questionable health. But not everyone has an eating disorder. Obviously they are not caused by seeing these pictures.

Does seeing a picture of fat people make you want to be fat? Not really. Does seeing a picture of skinny girls make you want to starve yourself? Not particularly. The media cannot be blamed for an individual's personal decisions.