Culture and Eating Disorders
Role of Food in Cultural Identities
Food plays an important role in shaping and expressing cultural identities. To thousands of cultures worldwide, food is embedded in tradition, heritage, and even history in communities. Food is used as a means of celebration joining families and creating valuable relationships. Food is honored and shared and has symbolic meanings in many cultures.
Which eating disorder is more culture-bound?
After a study was conducted analyzing the effect of culture on influencing eating disorders, “...Keel and Klump (2003) concluded that bulimia nervosa is heavily influenced by culture, while anorexia nervosa is experienced similarly across cultures.” (Culture & Eating Disorders, n.d.) Furthermore, researchers Keel and Klump concluded that purging, a symptom of bulimia nervosa (link), prominently occurs in cultures where being thin is pressured.
How does culture affect eating habits?
From an early onset, one’s culture and environment dictate “...what to eat, how to eat, utensils to use, who we eat with and how often we eat.” (The Courier, 2022) These small details concerning one’s eating patterns impact other behaviors in the long run such as food shopping behaviors, food preferences, and even body image.
Culture is a strong determinant of eating habits, and this is not a bad thing. However, the beauty standards that come with certain cultures can be very problematic, often leading to normalized disordered eating habits worldwide.
How can we make a change?
Culture is a crucial component of one’s identity, and food plays a major role in culture and tradition. So food should be celebrated and encouraged, and shouldn’t come with the baggage of unrealistic and pressuring body standards.
It starts at home
To all parents and guardians who are raising their children with a heavy cultural influence, instead of continuing to pass on the unnecessary generational beauty standards, pass on the stories of your rich culture and generational recipes. Culture should always be preserved, and we must continue to teach our children the beauty of it, without unintentionally passing on an eating disorder in the process.
You are not alone
If you feel that you, or a loved one, are struggling with an eating disorder, please consult a professional or visit the sites below. Asking for help is not easy, but you are not alone, making that first step will help you so much in the long run. Happiness and health are worth much more than societal standards.
https://www.helpguide.org/articles/eating-disorders/eating-disorder-treatment-and-recovery.htm
Works Cited
Culture & Eating Disorders. (n.d.). EAT LAB. https://www.louisvilleeatlab.com/blog--in-the-press/culture-eating-disorders#:~:text=After%20a%20review%20of%20the,is%20experienced%20similarly%20across%20cultures.
The Courier. (2022, June 30). How much does food and culture influence your buying and eating habits? The Courier. https://www.thecourier.co.uk/fp/lifestyle/food-drink/3449655/food-behaviour-food-and-culture/#:~:text=Starting%20from%20childhood%20we%20develop,stronger%20as%20the%20individual%20develops.
