Why More Women Have Eating Disorders
Compared to Men
Eating disorders such as anorexia and bulimia are becoming more of an epidemic in
today’s society. According to a study conducted by Hudson, Hiripi, Pope Jr., and Kessler
(2007), the rate at which new eating disorders have developed has been increasing since
1950. This escalation is occurring in both men and women; however, it is widely known
that eating disorders are more prevalent in woman than in men. Lau (2007) reported that
over five million Americans have eating disorders and that 90% of those individuals are
either women or adolescents (p. 12). There has been a plethora of research relating to the
possible causes of eating disorders, but less research concerning causation or proclivities
that lead more women to developing an eating disorder as compared to their male
counter-parts. Some of the antecedents concerning this disparity among the genders will be
examined.
There are many different factors that attribute to an individual developing eating disorders.
These factors include an individual’s personality, level of anxiety, their occupation, history
of mental and/or physical abuse, cultural expectations, low self-esteem, childhood obesity,
and weight concern (Mata, 2016). All of these factors may influence how an individual
views their body. Both Vogel (2015, p.43) and Perloff (2014, p. 363-364) agreed that poor
body image highly correlates with the development of an eating disorder. An individual’s
body image is the mental perception one has of their own body; therefore, if their
perception is unacceptable to a real or imagined standard, extreme measures in the form of
an eating disorder may ensue. This activity is undertaken in an attempt to bring the body
image in-line with an acceptable standard. Body image distortion maybe one of the leading
causes of eating disorders.
In addition to and conjunction with body image distortion, the effects of mass and social
media can have a detrimental effect on a person’s body image. The media essentially sets
the standard of aesthetics as it relates to the acceptable or ideal body image in modern
culture (Perloff, 2014, p. 363). Their “view” is primarily disseminated via various forms of
media such as television, magazines, other forms of literature, and electronic social media.
Even the perfectly proportioned manikins at the department store send a message of the
acceptable body style. Studies have shown that the use of social media can magnify the
body image concerns in both the followers of social media and the individuals who post
