| Sumario: | Epidemiological studies show a considerable secular increase in obesity, especially in adolescents. Most studies prefer an individualistic explanation of the facts, thereby overlooking the evidence for social change as an important agent in the development of overweight and eating disorders. Their social distribution–overweight and obesity dominate in lower class boys and girls, as well, bulimia in contrast among female adolescents-is only one of the indicators of their social origins. In our theoretical discussion we plea for a sociological interpretation of eating disorders among adolescents. We see eating disorders as a specific socio-somatic reaction to social change, especially to the increased pressure to adapt to achievement and competence in light of observed insecurities and to the public presentations of perfect bodies. This affects adolescents’ identity formation and their “body politics.” In the context of changed patterns of coping with life, we see obesity and bulimia as a symbolic “chosen” bodily disorder to reject social demands (in the case of obesity) or to over-adjust to the requirements of modern social change (in the case of bulimia).
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