According to the National Eating Disorder Association, 10 to 15 percent of Americans suffer from some type of eating disorder.

Teen media’s pressure to be perfect gets much of the blame for this, but in some cases the influence is closer to home.

Many teen magazines have an affect as well, 46 percent of girls from the fifth to twelfth grade reported wanting to lose weight because of magazine images.

Parents and peers can push their negativity and perfectionism onto others, causing young people to develop eating disorders that, if not fatal, will be a lifelong struggle.

In many instances, those struggling with an eating disorder are in denial that their disorder is not simply a healthy habit.

In recent years, over-exercising has been considered a serious addiction.

Athletes are a prime victim for an exercise addiction, due to the pressures of having a lean build or physique.

Men feel a need to have a muscular build; this is called hypermuscularity which forms body dysmorphia.

Through overeating, steroids, and exercise these men become hyperbolically masculine.

Women athletes suffer more than the men with a ratio of nine to one having an eating disorder.

Women and men will feel the need to punish themselves for what they consider excess calories by working out past the point their body can handle.

In other cases, teen girls will use extreme diets as an excuse for binging or not eating enough to sustain their bodies.

It’s difficult to get help when one can’t properly identify the problem. Self-image is a concept composed of thin lines, and it’s important for young people to understand which side they stand on.

There is a line between staying fit and becoming self-destructive, a line between constructive criticism and damaging expectations, and a line between habits and addictions.

If you think you or someone you love may be dealing with an eating disorder, call 1-800-931-2237 for confidential, free support.