Anorexia: A "losing" strategy?

Several theorists have tried to model anorexia on Wasser and Barash's (1983 ) "reproductive suppression model" (RSM). According to the RSM, individual females adaptively suppress their reproductive functioning under conditions of social or physiological stress. From this perspective, mild anorexia is viewed as an adaptive response to modem conditions; more severe anorexia i s viewed as an adaptation gone awry. Previous models have not, however, exa mined the full richness of the RSM. Specifically, Wasser and Barash documen ted not only self-imposed reproductive suppression, but also manipulative r eproductive suppression of subordinate females by dominants. I propose that the modem "epidemic" of anorexia is explained neither by adaptive self-sup pression nor by environmental mismatch (an adaptation gone awry); I propose that the "epidemic" levels of anorexia seen in modern western society are a direct consequence of intrasexual competition, the scope of which has bee n enhanced by the power and reach of modem communications media. According to this perspective, anorexia, even in its mild forms, is a manipulative st rategy imposed on subordinates by dominants. Anorexia is, in both senses, a "losing" strategy.