Dieting Some people often get involved in excessive dieting. People are often reinforced by positive feedback from others and are motivated to keep dieting because of their changing appearance. Unintentional Weight Loss In many cases, people unintentionally lose weight due to an illness or an accident. This can sometimes drive people to go to extremes to maintain their new weight. Weight Gain Someone who gains weight may be troubled with their new shape and may receive negative feedback from others regarding their weight gain. This can often drives people to engage in excessive dieting. Puberty Some adolescents have trouble coping with the changes their bodies go through during puberty. They are also exposed to peer pressure and may be more sensitive to criticism or even casual comments about weight or body shape. All of these can play factors in developing anorexia. Transitions Often, having to adapt to new situations, such as a new school, home or workplace, a relationship break up, or the death or illness of a loved one, can lead one to be emotionally distraught. This can lead to the reliance on food as a need for comfort and escape from reality. Sports, Work, and Artistic Activities Athletes, actors and television personalities, dancers, and models are at higher risk of anorexia. Professional men and women may believe they'll improve their upward mobility by losing weight, and then take it to an extreme. Coaches and parents may unintentionally raise the risk by encouraging the athletes to lose weight. Media and Society The media, such as television and fashion magazines, frequently illustrate the ideal body image, which are often extremely skinny models. Societal norms and media influences often drive males and females to feel obligated to reach the ideal body image in order to gain acceptance from others. This can be a leading cause in the development of eating disorders.