Disordered eating rampant among women

A survey by Self Magazine and the University of North Carolina released Tuesday asserts that 65% of American women, ages 25 to 45, display disordered eating behaviors. The survey found that an additional 10% of women report symptoms consistent with the traditional diagnoses of anorexia or bulimia. The survey described disordered eating behaviors as including attempts to lose weight when you're already at a normal weight; cutting out entire food groups from your diet and skipping meals.

The survey has generated some interesting Web chatter -- and not just because it's questionable whether actions such as skipping meals can be called "disordered" behavior. Bloggers such as Rachel Richardson, writing on The-F-Word.org, calls Self Magazine "not so selfless." Richardson is a recovering anorexic and bulimic and her site is an eating disorders awareness forum that discusses issues related to body size acceptance.

"While I don't doubt the high levels of unhealthy relationships with food amongst a national cross section of women, I do have to point out that Self isn't exactly a paragon of body size acceptance. Every edition touts some kind of diet and weight loss plan, along with some half-naked airbrushed woman on its glossy cover."

Richardson cites such Self headlines as: "Drop Weight, Look Great and Never Go to the Gym,"  "Shortcut to your Best Body," and, my personal favorite: "Lose Weight Every Day!"

The survey author is Cynthia R. Bulik, a highly regarded eating disorders expert at UNC. Bulik will present the survey findings next month at the Academy for Eating Disorders' 2008 International Conference on Eating Disorders in Seattle. Perhaps by then the discussion will evolve to include the role of women's magazines in promoting unhealthy eating behaviors and misguided attitudes about body image.

-- Shari Roan

Photo: Mark Boster / Los Angeles Times

Comments

[nancy bruno]

It is time that society stop defining beauty and perfection based on an individual's waistline, but took a look at the person through a different mirrored lens. Beauty is much more than a pretty face, shiny hair, a single digit on the inside label of a pair of jeans. Taking notice of how a person carries their experiences,and listening to who they are instead of judging what they look like is a good place to begin redefining society's definition of beauty. Perhaps then, we wouldn't have so many displays of disordered eating.