​Asian Americans are the least likely racial group to take actions on their mental health and are more likely to reach out to friends and family. However, not all AAPIs have a strong support system and can have difficulty expressing their challenges due to guilt, shame, or even not being able to speak the same language.” – Mental Health America

Eating disorders are complex mental health conditions that affect people from all walks of life, regardless of age, gender, or ethnicity. However, within the AAPI community, these disorders often go unnoticed or unaddressed due to cultural stigma and lack of awareness. Despite this silence, eating disorders are a significant issue within the AAPI population, with profound impacts on physical health, emotional well-being, and familial dynamics.

What are eating disorders?

According to the American Psychiatric Association, eating disorders are behavioral conditions characterized by disturbance in eating behaviors and associated distressing thoughts and emotions.

Type of eating disorders include:

• Anorexia nervosa: Characterized by self-starvation and weight loss
• Bulimia nervosa: Alternate dieting, or eating only low calorie safe foods and binge eating on higher calorie foods
• Binge eating disorder: Characterized with having episodes of binge eating, in which individuals consume large quantities of food in a brief period
• Avoidant Restrictive food intake disorder: Involves a disturbance in eating resulting in persistent failure to meet nutritional needs and extreme picky eating
• Other specified feeding and eating disorder: Individuals with OSFED may have many of the symptoms of anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa or binge eating disorder but do not meet the full criteria to be diagnosed with these conditions.
• Pica and Rumination Disorder: Eating things that are not food with no nutritional value

COVID-19 Effects on Mental and Physical Health 

As the world grappled with challenges brought by COVID-19, the effects on both mental and physical health became increasingly apparent. With widespread lockdowns and social restrictions, many found themselves grappling with heightened levels of stress while also experiencing difficulty to cope and seek help.

• Isolation: During lockdown, disruptions of daily routines negatively impacted eating, exercise, and sleeping patterns that may have increased ED risk and symptoms. Social restrictions also deprived individuals of traditional coping strategies and social support from their networks. A study showed that there was a significant increase in adolescents and young adults seeking care for an eating disorder after the onset of the pandemic and that the pandemic likely led to an increase of eating disorders and disordered eating behaviors.
• Social Media: As individuals began to confide in online spaces to connect with the world around them, social media platforms grew stronger in shaping societal norms and perceptions of body image, particularly among younger generations. Research indicates that the number of teens with eating disorders at least doubled during the pandemic, as individuals began to compare themselves to unrealistic portrayals of beauty influencers online.

Eating Disorders within the AAPI Community 

Eating disorders can impact people regardless of their race, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, or socioeconomic status. There is often a misconception that eating disorders affect only upper-middle-class white female patients. However, the rates of disordered eating in AAPI women are comparable to rates seen in European American women and often higher rates than other women of color.

Statistics reveal the prevalence and severity of eating disorders within the AAPI community. ​

• Research indicates that Asian American women are less likely to seek treatment for eating disorders compared to their Caucasian counterparts, highlighting disparities in access to care and support services.
• Asian girls and Asian American college students report significantly greater body dissatisfaction due to Western beauty standards but still receive inadequate treatment for ED due to cultural stigmas associated with mental illness.

Eating Disorders are a significant but often overlooked issue within our community due to cultural stigmas, lack of awareness, and limited access to culturally appropriate resources that lead to under diagnosis and under treatment. By de-stigmatizing conversations about mental health and promoting culturally competent resources and support services, we can empower individuals to seek help and support early intervention and recovery. We hope that by raising awareness, fostering supporting communities, and bridging access to resources can provide individuals in our community they need to heal and thrive.

Sources:
1. https://www.mhanational.org/issues/asian-american-pacific-islander-communities-and-mental-health 
2. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6737071/​
3. https://www.umassmed.edu/news/news-archives/2023/03/eating-disorders-in-teens-more-than-doubled-during-pandemic/ 
4. https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamapediatrics/fullarticle/2798255 
5. https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1002/eat.23318
6. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10032524/