1 in 10 Women Suffer From Eating Disorders
Eating disorders are so commonplace in today’s society that when Brittany Murphy (a famous American actress) died, many were quick to assume that her mysterious death was, in part, a result of a possible eating disorder.
Gossip websites were quick to point out previous rumors of drug abuse and anorexia — both of which can contribute to cardiovascular issues. However, Murphy’s mother has publicly claimed that her daughter suffered from type 2 diabetes which, if true, better explains the cardiac arrest responsible for killing her.
The speculation is just another example of how prevalent eating disorders are in our society. In fact, a new study by Canadian researchers from the Canadian Institutes for Health Research has found that 10 to 15 percent of women suffer from some sort of eating disorder.
“Our results are disquieting,” said Lise Gauvin, a professor Université de Montréal Department of Social and Preventive Medicine and leader of the study, “Women are exposed to many contradictory messages. They are encouraged to lose weight yet also encouraged to eat for the simple pleasure of it.”
The media bombards women with images of what they consider “beautiful” — depicted as women who are skinny yet have curves. These images can strain the self-confidence of women young and old, pressuring them to conform to the media’s depictions of attractiveness.
Contrary to common belief, anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa, though the most common, only make up a small portion of eating disorders. Binge eating, night eating, or orthorexia are other examples that are often not considered an eating disorder. In fact, eating disorders are any psychological condition (an illness) that is characterized by insufficient or excessive food intake.
The study surveyed over 1,500 women and found that approximately 13.7% of women reported binge eating and 2.5% of women reported the use of laxatives, diuretics, or induced vomiting to maintain weight or shape.
Additionally, the study found that 28 percent of women exercise intently for twice a month — just to lose weight. This finding is indicative of the many different signs of eating disorders that may not normally be considered.
“Our data suggests that a proportion of the female population displays maladaptive eating pattern,” said Dr. Gauvin.
Women, young and old, perpetually struggle between society’s perceived image of a “beautiful woman” and the cries of their bodies to eat healthily (supplemented by TV commercials of steaks and fries). The result: 1 in 10 women suffer from eating disorders.
Increased awareness on eating disorders and their impact on women may slowly change our society from one that forces two contradictory expectations to one that accepts women as beautiful, regardless of their dress size. As such, Disorder.org is focusing its efforts on spreading this awareness through informational articles and guest posts on the topic of eating disorders of all types.
As such, Disorder.org is focusing its efforts on spreading this awareness in support of women struggling with the issue.