Body Image and Race

Posted by Lori Henry Dec 19, 2006

A new study has found that women of all races are susceptible to eating disorders and weight dissatisfaction. Not only a “white girl’s” disorder, body image issues affect everyone.

"There has been a widespread belief among clinicians that black women simply don't develop eating disorders, and they have proceeded clinically along this line, dismissing the possibility for black women," says Alan Roberts, the lead researcher in the study.

"The findings from this study suggest it may no longer be acceptable to make assumptions on body dissatisfaction based on ethnicity. In terms of the study's weight measures, which are most closely linked to eating disorders, the difference is diminishing."

The research was done between 1966 and 2002 (mostly after 1980) and studied body dissatisfaction and eating disorders in women. He found that anorexia and bulimia peak in high school and early college years.