The prevalence of disordered eating in America has been steadily increasing over
the last few decades. Current research estimates that as many as 1 in 7 men and
1 and 5 women will be diagnosed with an eating disorder by the age of 40 (Ward
et al., 2019). This number has nearly doubled since 2006 (Galmiche et al., 2019).
Furthermore, current research has shown that recent global phenomena such as the
COVID-19 pandemic has also further exacerbated both the development of eating disorders
and the worsening of previously diagnosed eating-related disorders. This is largely
due to factors such as disruption in regular routines, increased financial insecurity,
or overconsumption of eating disorder-promoting media (Rodgers et al., 2020).
When you imagine an individual being diagnosed with an eating disorder, what does
that individual typically look like? How old are they? What is their sexual orientation?
How does the media portray eating disorders? If you thought of a very thin, young,
cisgender, white woman, you aren’t alone! News and media coverage disproportionately
present eating disorders as simplified, yet dramatized, conditions that only impact
young, white, thin women, leaving out realistic information regarding the stereotypes
and stigma associated with eating disorders, the barriers to treatment and the
realities of recovery (O’Hara & Clegg Smith, 2007). While this may not seem
like a big concern, this misrepresentation has a significant impact on the diagnosis
and treatment of eating disorders, who decides to seek treatment, who has access
to treatment, as well as consequences related to weight bias and stigma. Curious
to know more about the media’s impact on eating disorders and weight bias? Let’s
break this down some more.