Eating Disorder Demographics

I want to take a moment to talk about the stereotypes that tend to run with eating disorders, because many of them are actually true.

I mean, there's the standard perfectionist personality and high achieving tenancies and intelligence, but it actually goes deeper than that to more "demographic" sorts of categories.

For example, the obvious one is that eating disorders tend to happen in women between the ages of 12 and 24. Let me start with the "women" part. It is estimated that about 10% of people with eating disorders are male (mostly men in aesthetic sports or sports that require weight requirements such as wrestling and horse racing). However, the number is likely much higher than this, because the vast majority of men don't report their disorders/don't get help because it is a girl disease and they are ashamed/in denial. Males tend to suffer with different types of disordered eating, though, because society's demands on males aesthetically speaking are much different from females.

The age range tends to come from the lack of development in young brains, namely in the pre-frontal cortex. Interestingly enough, as a side note, many women get over their EDs once they become pregnant and their diets directly effect the health of their child. They love their child more than they love their addiction, and often give the ED up.

Let me talk for a moment about socioeconomics. It is true that most people with eating disorders tend to come from the upper middle class. This could be for a number of reasons. People who have never had trouble with money and hunger do not hold the nourishment and food on the same importance level as those who may have grown up not knowing where their next meal was coming from. In addition, societal competition may be higher in upper classes, adding fuel to the fire of the concepts of status and success based on appearance.

And the one I really wanted to touch on: race. Over 95% of women with eating disorders are white. There has not been a bunch of research on this, but my own personal speculation is that this is because of the cultures of various races and ethnicities. Certain races have cultures much more accepting of higher weights, and even revering of curvaceous bodies.

Lastly, I want to mention that 17% of female athletes and a much higher percent of women in aescetic sports, such as ballet and gymnastics struggle with eating disorders. So any parents of young athletes out there, be aware!