'Young, white, middle-class women': the eating disorder myths that stop people from seeking help

24 February 2025, 09:39

By Tom Quinn

There is a pervasive stereotype that eating disorders only affect young, white, middle-class women.

This couldn’t be further from the truth – these devastating illnesses can affect anyone regardless of gender, ethnicity or background. They can develop at any stage of a person’s life and affect at least 1.25 million people living in the UK.

That’s why the theme we’ve chosen for this year’s Eating Disorders Awareness Week is ‘anyone can be affected by an eating disorder.’ In our most recent survey, 4/5 people with eating disorders said they had experienced harmful misconceptions about their illness. This can be incredibly dangerous, leading to delays in seeking and receiving treatment.

The survey found that only 17% of respondents sought help within the first six months of experiencing symptoms, and 36% waited more than two years. This is particularly concerning given that lack of access to specialist medical care can significantly impact a person’s chances of recovery.

One of the most common misconceptions is that all people with eating disorders are underweight, which is completely incorrect. In fact, most eating disorders don’t lead to any weight loss at all. This myth is especially dangerous because it can influence how people are treated when they try to get help. We know from those we support that people can be turned away by their GP because their BMI is ‘too high’.

Other harmful misconceptions include the idea that eating disorders occur because people want to be ‘thin’ or ‘fashionable’. Not only is this an untrue and reductive view of eating disorders, but our survey respondents reported that assumptions like these make them feel hurt and ashamed, which in turn makes help-seeking less likely.

There is a similar picture among those with eating disorders which cause them to binge. The idea that they simply ‘like to eat too much’ or lack self-control is immensely damaging. Eating disorders are complex mental illnesses with a wide variety of potential causes, and it is hugely unhelpful to reduce those who experience them to stereotypes.

We encourage everyone to take some time this Eating Disorders Awareness Week to learn about these illnesses and how to support those going through them. They are so much more common than you think, and you never know who might be affected. You can find more information and resources on our website.

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Tom Quinn is the Director of External Affairs at Beat.

If you’re worried about your own or someone else’s health, you can contact Beat, the UK’s eating disorder charity on 0808 801 0677 or beateatingdisorders.org.uk

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