Eating disorders: Overview of impact of gender differences.

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Gender, in layman’s terms, refers to the characteristics and traits given to males or females as socially, psychologically, and is culturally constructed. This interpretation changes over time from society to society. The concept of masculinity and femininity is altered and updated as the understanding of our cultural and individual psychophysiology changes. Questioning gender roles is necessary to gain a better understanding of the functioning of the society we live in. Gender Psychology is defined as the study or exploration of these identities, norms and behaviourisms with regards to the concept of gender. It aims to describe the influence of gender in interpersonal relationships, health, behavior and mental processes. This field of study is important for us to analyze gender-based data and answer multiple questions about gender differences in various aspects of the world in order to negate biases and improve one’s personal development. We ponder about the impact of different gender roles in one’s physical  and mental health and if they have different biological reactions to different stimuli. If disorders and diseases have a different impact on them, and how contrasting are the treatment plans? 


According to the American Psychological Association, eating disorders are characterized primarily by a pathological disturbance of attitudes and behaviors related to food, including anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, and binge-eating disorder. These are the abnormal eating habits that pose great harm to the individual’s life and hence, are fatal illnesses. There are several causes that can lead to the development of an eating disorder: the need to look a certain way in order to conform to the society’s ideal body type, peer pressure, stress or family history. These causes make us wonder whether the occurrence of eating disorders is different in different gender roles due to one’s culture or ideology. 


Eating habits of both males and females are similar in their early years, but this difference in their food intake occurs mostly in their adolescent years. According to the National Health and Nutritional Survey, the food intake by female adolescents is less than the average intake by men and hence, women are more likely to face nutritional deficiency disorders. This disparity is believed to be due to differences in health beliefs. In adulthood, females have been reported to consume food associated with calorie-restrictions, and they tend to choose healthier alternatives than men. These differences in the food intake hypothesized the differential aspect in their eating disorders.

The feminine eating styles, which refer to small bite sized meals and different meal time etiquettes have also led women to ingest meals with the less than required calorie intake. Different social eating habits also force a lot of females to eat less when seated in large formal groups, so as to seem stereotypically more feminine. 


There is a gender distinction in the way males and females perceive their body shapes and sizes- women are found to be more dissatisfied with their body type more often than men. Exposure to media is often the leading cause for the initiation of eating disorders since it often creates an inaccurate representation of attractive body types as portrayed by overly skinny models and celebrities. Such exposure greatly impacts an individual. It was further noted that the idealization of slim body types and the rejection of fat body types is more intense for females than for males. This sex-linked evaluation of thinness is usually brought up to account for the fact that EDs are at least 10 times more prevalent in females than in males  (Striegel-Moore 1993, 1997). As a result, females suffer with body dysmorphia and resentment towards their bodies faster and earlier than males and this dissatisfaction leads to unhealthy attempts to lose weight.  The fitness and dieting culture also varies drastically according to the gender roles- females have been seen to be more conscious with what they choose to eat in order to stay healthier than males. There is also a sex difference in how weight loss is achieved. Men tend to use exercise and women prefer to decrease food intake (Yates et al., 1983). Although lately, there has been an upsurge in the amount of men going to the gym and bulking due to the exposure to the glorified gym lifestyle. However, this comes with its own merits and demerits. Besides wanting to adapt to healthier lifestyles as a part of their daily routine, body image issues worsened when they happened to miss a day or two at the gym. 


Approximately 90% of eating-disorder patients are females and it has been estimated that 1 in every 100 adolescent girls has anorexia nervosa  (Lucas, Beard, O'Fallon, & Kurland, 1988; Yates, 1989), which is characterized by low body weight, amenorrhea (It is the absence of menstruation, often defined as missing one or more menstrual period), fear of fatness, and the false perception of distortion of body shape. According to research on binge eating disorder and gender roles, More women were found to have been diagnosed with a binge eating disorder than men.

Although the findings regarding the association of gender roles and eating disorders are not concrete, they have been widely referred to and used for various other researches. To reduce the personal bias surrounding women and their eating habits to make themselves more feminine and fit into societal standards which leads to insufficient nutrition intake, there must be awareness about eating disorders due to gender differences so that rehabilitation and gender-based accurate treatment plans can be made available for people to be cured more effectively. Besides the differences in genders- sociocultural aspects, the surrounding environment and the nurture of an individual also hold great relevance to the eating disorder rates of individuals. To get a complete understanding of this topic we must learn more about different social constructs of gender and their impacts on an individual’s health.


About the author

Aarchi Mrinal Mandal, 

First Year BSc. Applied Psychology Hons.

Sub-Head of PsyCreative Column


Aarchi Mandal is born and brought up in Mumbai and has loved and embraced the shore with all her heart. She believes in always being in touch with one’s inner self through the joy of little things like cafes, books and comfort shows. Currently pursuing Psychology as her major from SDSOS, she hopes to help and cheer those around her through her writing and provide insight through her writing. Her spontaneity and compassion drives her to achieve her objectives and has a strong desire to inspire those around her. 



References-


Sci-Hub | Gender differences in eating behavior and body weight regulation. Health Psychology, 10(2), 133–142 | 10.1037/0278-6133.10.2.133. (n.d.). https://sci-hub.se/10.1037/0278-6133.10.2.133


Sci-Hub | Gender difference in the prevalence of eating disorder symptoms. International Journal of Eating Disorders, 42(5), 471–474 | 10.1002/eat.20625. (n.d.). https://sci-hub.se/10.1002/eat.20625


Department of Psychology, University of Toronto. (2002). CAUSES OF EATING DISORDERS. gruberpeplab.com. http://www.gruberpeplab.com/teaching/psych3303_spring2019/documents/4.1_Polivy.Herman2002.pdf


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