Eating Disorders Among Marginalized Groups
When many people picture someone with an eating disorder, a familiar stereotype often comes to mind: a thin, white, upper-middle-class teenage girl who fears gaining weight and obsessively exercises. While this may be the reality for some, this narrow image leaves out countless others who are also struggling—and suffering—in silence.
This stereotype is not only harmful; it’s dangerous. It prevents people of color, individuals in larger bodies, and members of the LGBTQ+ community from being accurately diagnosed, taken seriously, and given the treatment they need.
Eating Disorders Among People of Color
According to the National Eating Disorders Association (NEDA), people of color are just as likely as their white peers to struggle with eating disorders—but they are significantly less likely to be asked about their eating habits or symptoms by healthcare professionals.
In fact, Black and Hispanic teenagers are more likely to suffer from bulimia than white teens, yet they are less likely to be diagnosed. Medical and mental health providers often carry implicit biases that prevent them from recognizing eating disorder behaviors in people of color. This can delay or block access to life-saving care.
Organizations like Project HEAL are doing vital work to address these disparities. They recently shared a powerful story about a 29-year-old Black queer woman who presented clear red flags but struggled to get proper treatment. Her experience shines a light on how race, gender, and sexuality can become barriers to care. Read her story here.
Weight Stigma and Larger Bodies
The stereotype also erases people living in larger bodies. Their eating disorders are often invalidated or dismissed—even praised—by healthcare providers, friends, and even therapists who lack adequate training in the full spectrum of eating disorder presentations.
Many of our clients have experienced weight stigma, meaning they’ve been discriminated against or judged solely because of their body size. I've heard stories of clients being applauded for restricting, purging, or excessively exercising—all under the guise of being "healthy."
Physicians are less likely to refer people in larger bodies to eating disorder treatment, and insurance companies sometimes deny coverage unless a person meets low-weight requirements—standards that are rooted in bias, not science. Here’s a resource that dives deeper into this issue.
The Emotional Toll of Being Invisible
When people don't fit the “eating disorder mold,” their pain is often overlooked. Some clients have shared that their recovery feels “less valid” because they didn’t start in a small body or because weight gain wasn’t part of their treatment plan. This kind of invalidation is incredibly harmful.
Eating disorder recovery is hard enough. Doing it in the face of systemic bias, stigma, and misinformation makes it even harder.
Let’s Rewrite the Narrative
Eating disorders don’t have a look. They don’t discriminate based on race, body size, gender, or sexuality—yet our systems often do. If we want to create a world where recovery is truly possible for everyone, we have to start by challenging our assumptions and speaking up when we see inequality in care.
To learn more and take action:
Visit Project HEAL
Explore Christy Harrison’s work on weight stigma and diet culture
Recovery Should Be for Everyone
At Empowering You, we believe that eating disorder recovery must be inclusive, affirming, and rooted in equity. We actively work to dismantle harmful stereotypes and create a therapeutic environment that sees and supports all bodies and backgrounds.
If you or someone you love feels unseen or unheard in their struggle with food and body image, reach out today. Your experience is valid. And you deserve care that reflects that.
