Eating disorders and how the effect women vary greatly depending on cultural and socio-economic factors. Many incidences of eating disorders in women from various ethnic groups occur as a result of environmental stress, that and can be affected by acculturation, the process of cultural assimilation.
Cross Cultural Issues
- Over the past few years, there has been much evidence found that contradicts the persistent belief that eating disorders affect only young, white women.
- One study conducted by Robinson et al (1996), found that among the leanest 25% of 6th and 7th grade girls, Hispanics and Asians reported significantly more body dissatisfaction than did white girls.
Research and Reporting Bias
- Relatively little research has been conducted utilizing participants from racial and ethnic minority groups due to the historical bias that these types of body image issues predominantly effect young white girls and women.
- Nevertheless, what little research there is reports that incidences of eating disorders among women of color are on the rise. Some of this gain may simply reflect an increase in the reporting of these problems rather than actual increases.
Acculturation Effects and Theories
- Some researchers argue that women from racial and ethnic minority groups are “immune” to developing eating disorders because their cultural identity provides some amount of protection against body image disturbances. For example, it is frequently stated that African-American culture embraces larger body types than does the dominant culture, thereby making Black women less prone to body dissatisfaction. This leads to the assumption that women of color experience acculturation or assimilation of dominant ideals, and explains why they become more susceptible to eating disorders.
- According to Kempa & Thomas (2000) the definition of acculturation is “the process of shifting values to the host culture from the culture of origin.” As this occurs, the dominant standards of beauty are internalized and women from minority groups adhere to standards similar to those of white women.
- One of the most prominent examples of acculturation are the many hair straighteners available to ethnic women for the purpose of making their natural texture appear more like that of the dominant culture.
- Some evidence regarding acculturation supports the idea that highly acculturated women are more vulnerable to eating disorders.
- Chamorro & Flores-Ortiz (2000) found that second-generation Mexican-American women, those born in the US to foreign-born parents, were the most acculturated and had the highest disordered eating patterns.
- Complexities in acculturation research do exist. Some theorists state that vulnerability to an eating disorder may be affected by which stage of conformity a person is in. Those in the early stages may internalize dominant values of beauty which could lead to eating disorders, while those in later stages may be highly sensitive to oppressive circumstances and subsequently develop eating problems to cope with these experiences and/or a rebellion against the dominant culture.
- Similarly, Lake, Staiger, & Glowiski (1999) support the “culture clash” argument, specifically in which “traditional” subjects (those with strong Chinese ethnic identity) were more influenced by western values than were the acculturated group members as a result of the stress related to “culture shock”.
Sociocultural Factors and Stress
- Contemporary theories regarding the development of disordered eating include sociocultural, environmental, and genetic factors that are applicable to all women, regardless of ethnicity.
- Sociocultural factors, including the pervasive media images that embrace a narrowly defined conception of beauty, may be particularly disturbing for some women, especially those furthest from the dominant ideal of beauty.
- One study by Osvold & Sodowsky (1993) found that African-American and Native-American women who were more accepting of white American culture (acculturated) showed significantly more symptoms of anorexia and bulimia than did those who were less accepting.
- Women from racial and ethnic minority groups in the United States face substantially more stress resulting from their membership in multiple subordinate groups than that caused by acculturation alone.
- A 1996 study interviewed eighteen women of varying socio-economic status and race and found that eating disorders were frequently a response to environmental stress (i.e. abuse, racism, poverty). Therefore, given the multiple traumas that women of color are exposed to, they may, in fact, be more vulnerable to eating disorders.