Understanding Eating Disorders
February 1, 2022 marks the first day of Eating Disorder Awareness Week in Canada this year. During this week, the progress of those in recovery is celebrated and tools for recovery are promoted with the goal of raising awareness about eating disorders.
As someone in recovery, this week provides me an opportunity to share my experience. I am fortunate to have entered a place in my life, where I know my eating disorder does not define me. My goal through my conversations and posts on platforms such as this, is to contribute to breaking the stigma around this form of mental illness.
There are a number of misconceptions and myths surrounding eating disorders. Unfortunately, due to some of these myths, some individuals do not treat eating disorders as the complex mental illnesses they are.
Myth #1: Eating disorders only affect heterosexual young women.
Fact: Eating disorders affect individuals of all ages, genders, socioeconomic status, races and abilities.
Studies have shown that between 14% and 42% of men with eating disorders are gay or bisexual and that, contrary to a common perception, lesbians and bisexual women are as likely as heterosexual women to be affected by eating disorders (1,2).
In a national survey, nearly 11% of transgender men and 8% of transgender women reported being diagnosed with an eating disorder (3).
Myth #2: Being underweight is a clear indicator of having an eating disorder.
Fact: Weight is not a clear indicator of health or presence of an eating disorder. A study of adolescents presenting at a specialized eating disorder clinic found that 17% of those with atypical anorexia nervosa were “overweight” or “obese” according to their body mass index (4).
Myth #3: BIPOC are equally as likely to receive treatment for an eating disorder.
Fact: BIPOC with eating disorders are half as likely to be diagnosed or receive treatment.
Myth #4: Individuals who have eating disorders just need to eat.
Fact: Eating disorders are not choices. The solution to “just eat” would be comparable to telling someone who has just broken their arm to “just to heal”.
Myth #5: Eating disorders are a phase people grow out of.
Fact: Eating disorders are a mental illness and for some require a lifetime of managing their eating disorder, even while in recovery,
With all the misinformation and complexity of eating disorders, you may be thinking to yourself: how can I help? The answer is to be an ally. The support of the people around me is what helped me and continues to help me be in recovery. Here are a few of my recommendations on how to be an ally:
Change your language
A lot of daily conversations focus on weight loss. “I worked out today so I can eat this” is a common example of something people say every day. While this comment may seem harmless, it can be extremely triggering. Changing your language around food and health, can be extremely helpful. Avoiding comments such as one above can be an easy step in being an ally.
Encourage a person to get help
If you are concerned that someone you care about has an eating disorder, encourage them to get professional help.
Resources:
National Eating Disorder Information Centre (NEDIC)
NEDIC.ca
Helpline: 1-866-633-4220Eating Disorder Support Network of Alberta
EDSNA.ca
Understand recovery is a journey
Eating disorders, like other mental illnesses, are long-term. Some individuals may require support for their entire lifetime. Awareness and acceptance of your loved one’s eating disorder can make all the difference. Being there for them, and letting them know you love them regardless of how they look can be life changing.
My eating disorder is and will continue to be part of who I am. I am proud of myself for finding who I was through this struggle. As Andrea Dykstra says in one of my favourite quotes “In order to love who you are, you cannot hate the experiences that shaped you.” However, I sincerely hope that through education, support and love we can work to ensure others will not have to go through the same struggle.
Kaitlyn Hunder
Feldman, M. B. & Meyer, I. H. (2007). Eating disorders in diverse lesbian, gay, and bisexual populations. International Journal of Eating Disorders, 40(3), 218-226. doi: 10.1002/eat.20360
Matthews-Ewald, M. R., Zullig, K. J., & Ward, R. M. (2004). Sexual orientation and disordered eating behaviors among self-identified male and female college students. Eating Behaviors, 15(3), 441-444.
Nagata, J. M., Murray, S. B., Compte, E. J., Pak, E. H., Schauer, R., Flentje, A., Capriotti, M. R., Lubensky, M. E., Lunn, M. R., & Obedin-Maliver, J. (2020). Community norms for the Eating Disorder Examination Questionnaire (EDE- Q) among transgender men and women. Eating Behaviors, 37. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.eatbeh.2020.101381
The Standing Committee on the Status of Women. (2014) Eating disorders among girls and women in Canada: Report of the standing committee on the status of women. Retrieved from http://www.parl.gc.ca/ HousePublications/Publication.aspx?
