Anorexia nervosa: a multifactorial disease of nutritional origin?

Nutrition in general, with infant and child nutrition in particular, have changed in the past century through altered farming practices and eating habits. Food intake in childhood can influence the expression of the genetic potential. In this paper it is attempted to show how childhood zinc deficiency, aggravated in puberty by high energy/low zinc ratio of the diet and stresses of various kinds, can influence both mental and physical development and ultimately lead to the development of anorexia nervosa.