Unmasking the Silent Epidemic: 4 Ways Society Fuels Disordered Eating

I haven’t had much of an appetite recently — health issues have left me feeling slightly nauseous most days. As a result, I’ve unintentionally lost a bit of weight.

I didn’t notice the change myself until a friend exclaimed “Oh my god Lara you’ve lost weight…. You look great”. I quickly retorted that it wasn’t a good thing, I’d been struggling to eat and the weight loss wasn’t intentional.

Since then, I’ve had one or two other comments. So-called compliments from friends — all of them aware of my health challenges.

This got me thinking: why is it so ingrained in society to comment on weight loss even when a friend is not well. Like WTF?

This tendency to prioritise thinness over everything else — including physical and mental health. That’s diet culture speaking.

I’m lucky that I’ve already worked through my own eating disorders and disordered eating. Without that healing, these comments might have triggered a downward spiral into intentional weight loss.

Unfortunately, not everyone is as lucky. Shockingly, around 75% of women will at some point in their lives struggle with disordered eating.

How has society become complicit in perpetuating disordered eating behaviours?