Are Latinos At Risk For Eating Disorders?

There’s no question…Latinos make some of the world’s best food. It’s part of our culture and many times eating (and lot’s of it) is considered “healthy” even though it could lead to eating disorders. Today more Latinos suffer from binge eating and anorexia as second and third generation Latino’s are acculturating to American values.

Deb Franko, Professor of Counseling & Applied Educational Psychology did a study called: Considering J.Lo and Ugly Betty: a qualitative examination of risk factors and prevention targets for body dissatisfaction, eating disorders, and obesity in young Latina women.  Franko and her colleagues found that the college-aged Latinas struggled with conflicting cultural expectations. “The messages from their families that larger bodies are beautiful are bumping against a more Caucasian white culture that promotes a thin body ideal,” Franko says.

It’s staggering to learn how unhappy women are with their bodies. A recent study showed that 89% of women are unhappy with their weight. “We’re not beautiful according to the standard,” said Corazón Tierra to NBCLatino. Tierra is an immigrant from Puerto Rico that when she arrived to the U.S. felt that her physical appearance didn’t fit into the American standard.“There is a very mixed message,” she says. “There is so much attention on food, but then everyone is concerned about weight.”

Social media has played a big part on how women feel about their bodies because there is so much bullying happening every day.  Many women post photos of their weight loss journey and even though there is a lot of support from other women, there are those strangers that can demoralize and hurt people causing them anxiety, depression, and other mental health issues.

What Can You Do?

• Focus on being healthy, there is no such thing as a perfect body.
• Avoid attitudes or actions shaming your own or others bodies.
• Discourage fad diets and try to incorporate healthy eating into your daily diet.
• Learn about eating disorders, binge eating is a big one that affects both men and women.

Visit SAMHSA.com to learn more about improving your physical and mental wellness. Download this step-by-step guide to wellness, which helps you lead a healthier life.