ysicians are not required to report all cases. Since denial of the disease is especially high, many cases go untreated, which may skew the results as well. The majority of females are described as perfect children, obedient, hard working, excelling academically, admired by their teachers, and often the confidants of their parents (Vigersky 1977). These individuals seem at an unusually high risk to develop anorexia nervosa and their disposition, combined with several other factors increase their susceptibility to the disorder.
             Family influence may be crucial in the development of anorexia nervosa. Often these females come from intact, nuclear families. The majority are well fed and dressed as children and are provided with the best educational and social opportunities. Their parents are generally financially secure and provided their children with much material stability. The patient’s parents are also already at middle age when the patient is born, making them much older when the child reaches adolescence. These parents tend to
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