How Can Treatment Centers Help You?

If you have an eating disorder:

• You feel all alone - no one cares or understands;
• You are confused with what is going on;
• You want to find help;
• You need support along with your therapy.

There is a support group for you. If you are a family member or loved one:

• You feel frightened, confused by the behavior and physical changes you are witnessing;
• You want to know what you can do to help;
• You want to know what kind of help is necessary and where it is available.

There is a support group for you.

• Support Groups for people with anorexia and bulimia.
• Separate Support Groups for families and friends,.
• Monthly informational meetings with guest speakers.
• Telephone Help Line for those seeking support, information and referrals.
• Referrals for medical and psychological services.
• Information regarding current activities and publications for people with an eating disorder and their family and friends.
• Speakers Bureau.
• Outreach Program for schools.

Recognition

Anorexia and Bulimia are disorders characterized by preoccupation with food, weight and shape. Compulsive over eaters , as well as others without a full-blown eating disorder, may also suffer some of the symptoms listed below. All may benefit from treatment and should seek specialized care.

Anorexia Danger Signals

• Losing a significant amount of weight.
• Continuing to diet (although thin).
• Feeling fat, even after losing weight.
• Fearing weight gain.
• Losing monthly menstrual cycle.
• Preoccupation with food, calories, nutrition and/or cooking.
• Preferring to diet in isolation.
• Exercising compulsively.
• Bingeing and purging.

Bulimia Danger Signals

• Bingeing or eating uncontrollably.
• Purging by strict dieting, fasting, vigorous exercise, vomiting, abusing laxatives or diuretics in an attempt to lose weight.
• Using bathroom frequently after meals.
• Depression or mood swings.
• Irregular periods.
• Developing dental problems, swollen cheek glands, heartburn and/or bloating.
• Experiencing problems with alcohol or drugs.

Treatment

Many patients with eating disorders can make a complete recovery. Effective care usually involves a professional team of specialists - physicians, therapist and dietitians - who develop and coordinate specific approaches that best suit the needs of the patient and his/her family. The following types of treatment may be useful:

• Medical Care - to deal with physical problems such as low weight, abnormal menstrual periods, and bloating

• Nutritional Counseling - to develop healthier eating patterns

• Individual and Family Therapy - to resolve conflicts, build self-esteem, improve relationships
  

• Group Therapy - to understand and manage symptoms and feelings

• Medication - to lessen bingeing, depression or obsessive thinking

• Hospitalization - to provide safety for patients in medical danger

• Support Groups - to offer additional help to patients and families

Above program is taken from American Anorexia Bulimia Association of Philadelphia. Please visit the treatment center of your choice for program guidelines.

Below is a sample list of Eating Disorder Treatment Centers by State.

Eating Disorder Treatment Centers by State

Treatment Centers

When a treatment team is no longer enough, you may consider a more protective treatment environment, such as residential or a hospital program. The following list is intended to provide a starting point to learn more about treatment options. We believe that all facilities listed here are reputable, however Gürze Books is not responsible for the treatment provided. Use your own good judgment when deciding where to get help, and we wish you success in recovery!

The facilities listed below are by state.
To see them listed in alphabetical order click here.

United States:

Alabama:

Magnolia Creek
Residential Treatment Center for Eating Disorders
P.O. Box 391
Chelsea, Alabama 35043
205 678 4373 or
888 7MAGNOLIA

The Pinnacle Schools
500 Governors Drive
Huntsville, AL 35801
256-518-9998

Arizona:

Healthy Futures
9449 N. 90th St. Suite 210
Scottsdale, AZ 85258
480-451-8500

The Mandel Center
11811 N. Tatum Blvd. Ste 3031
Phoenix, AZ
480-734-1199

Mirasol, Inc.
7650 E. Broadway, #303
Tucson, AZ 85710
1-888-520-1700

ReddStone
A Remuda Program for Boys
1 East Apache Street
Wickenburg, AZ 85390
1-800-445-1900
info@remudaranch.com

Remuda Ranch
Programs for Eating & Anxiety Disorders
1 East Apache Street
Wickenburg, AZ 85390
1-800-445-1900
email: info@remudaranch.com

Rosewood
36075 South Rincon Road
Wickenburg, AZ 85390
1-800-845-2211

Sierra Tucson
39580 S. Lago del Oro Parkway
Tucson, AZ 85739
1-800-842-4487

California:

HOPE for Eating Disorders
Alta Bates Summit-Herrick Campus
2001 Dwight Way, Berkeley CA 94704
Inpatient (510) 204-4405
Outpatient (510) 204-4560

Balanza
1761 Hotel Circle South
San Diego, CA 92108
619-297-4499

The Bella Vita
Los Angeles, CA Woodland Hills, CA
and
La Canada Flintridge, CA
877-912-3552

Casa de Lago
22590 Canyon Lake Drive South
Canyon Lake, CA 92587
1-800-824-4936

Casa Palmera
14750 El Camino Real
Del Mar, CA 92014
1-888-481-4481
info@casapalmera.com

Center for Discovery
4281 Katella Avenue
Suite 111
Los Alamitos, CA 90720
800-760-3934
info@centerfordiscovery.com
www.centerfordiscovery.com

Whittier, CA
Lakewood, CA
Menlo Park, CA
Downey, CA
1

CRC Health Group
20400 Stevens Creek Blvd.
6th Floor
Cupertino, Ca. 95014
(866)549-5034

Del Amo Hospital Eating Disorders Program
23700 Camino Del Sol
Torrance, CA 90505
800-533-5266

Harmony Grove:
Supportive Living for Eating Wellness
San Diego, CA 92130
(858)342-1514

Healthy Within
4510 Executive Dr. 103
San Diego, CA 92121
(858)622-0221

Loma Linda University Behavioral Med. Center
Redlands, CA
1-800-752-5999

Mandometer Treatment for Eating Disorders
11777 Bernardo Plaza Court, Suite 208
San Diego, CA 92128
858-451-1008

Montecatini
2524 La Costa Ave.
Rancho La Costa, CA 92009
760-436-8930

Monte Nido
27162 Sea Vista Dr.
Malibu, CA 90265
(310) 457-9958

New Dawn Recovery
2320 Marinship Way Suite 240
Sausalito, CA 94965
(415) 331-1383

New Directions Eating Disorders Center
14542 Ventura Blvd. Suite 211
Sherman Oaks, Ca 91403
818-377-4442

Oceanaire
866.406.1066
info@oceanaireinc.com
www.oceanaireinc.com

Ohlhoff Eating Disorders Outpatient Program
2418 Clement St.
San Francisco, CA 94121
415-221.3354

Puente de Vida
La Jolla, CA
1-877-995-4337

Rader Programs
Pacific Shores Hospital
2130 N. Ventura Road
Oxnard, California 93036
1-800-841-1515
rader@raderprograms.com

Reasons
4619 Rosemead Boulevard,
Rosemead, CA 91770
626.270.4226

Rebecca's House
23861 El Toro Road, Suite 700
Lake Forest, CA 92630
800-711-2062
info@rebeccashouse.org

Sharp Mesa Vista Hospital
7850 Vista Hill Avenue
San Diego, CA 92123
(858) 694-8434

Shoreline Center for Eating Disorder Treatment
Satori House
Long Beach, CA
562-434-6007

Sober Living by the Sea Treatment Centers
CRC Health Group
Newport Beach, CA
(949) 554-1114

South Coast Medical Center
Eating Disorders Treatment
31872 Coast Highway
Laguna Beach, CA 92651
(949) 499-7504

Summit Eating Disorders and Outreach Program
601 University Ave, Ste. 225
Sacramento, CA 95825
916-920-5276

Summit Eating Disorders and Outreach Program
Intensive Outpatient Program
400 Montgomery St., Suite 501
San Francisco, CA 94104
415-788-0158

Torrance Memorial Medical Center
3330 Lomita Blvd.
Torrance, CA 90505
310-325-4353

UCLA Eating Disorders Program
Resnick Neuropsychiatric Hospital at UCLA
150 UCLA Medical Plaza
Los Angeles, CA 90095
Adolescent inpatient services: 310-267-9140
Adult inpatient services: 310-267-7364
Adult outpatient program: 310-206-3954

The Victorian of Newport Beach
2811 Villa Way
Newport Beach, CA 92663
800-647-0042

Colorado:

Children's Hospital
13123 East 16th Avenue
Aurora, CO 80045
1-800-624-6553

Denver Health A.C.U.T.E Medical Center
777 Bannock Street
Denver, Colorado 80204-4507
877-228-8348

Eating Disorder Center of Denver
950 South Cherry St., Suite 1010
Denver, CO 80246
1-303-771-0861

Eating Recovery Center
Nourishing Health
Denver, CO
1-877-825-8584

La Luna Center
3002 Bluff St. Ste. 200
Boulder, CO 80301
720-470-0010

New Directions Eating Disorders Center
2121 S. Oneida #412
Denver, Co 80224
303-694-7484

Connecticut:

The Institute of Living
400 Washington Street
Hartford, CT 06106
1-800-673-2411

The Renfrew Center
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania; Coconut Creek, Florida; New York City; Ridgewood, New Jersey; Wilton, Connecticut; Charlotte, North Carolina; Nashville, Tennessee
1-800-RENFREW

Wellspring
21 Arch Bridge Rd.
Bethlehem, CT 06751
203-266-8000

Florida:

The Boswell Center
6817 Southpoint Parkway, Suite 904
Jacksonville, FL 32216
904-332-9100

Canopy Cove
13305 Mahan Dr.
Tallahassee, FL 32309
1-800-236-7524

Center for Eating and Weight Disorders
Assessment and Psychotherapy Services, Inc.
2155 Main Street
Sarasota, Florida 34237
(941) 365-2962

Fairwinds Treatment Center
1569 South Fort Harrison
Clearwater, Florida 33756
1-877-ANOREXIA

La Bonne Maison
Tampa, FL and Orlando, FL
1-800-824-8580

Milestones at High Point
5960 Southwest 106th Ave
Cooper City, FL 33328
800-347-2364

Oliver-Pyatt Centers
www.oliverpyattcenters.com
Miami, FL
866-511-HEAL (4325)

The Renfrew Center
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania; Coconut Creek, Florida; New York City; Ridgewood, New Jersey; Wilton, Connecticut; Charlotte, North Carolina; Nashville, Tennessee
1-800-RENFREW

Turning Point of Tampa, Inc.
6227 Sheldon Rd.
Tampa, FL 33615
800-397-3006

The Willough at Naples
9001 Tamianm Trail East
Naples, FL 34113
1-800-722-0100

Georgia:

Ridgeview Institute
3995 South Cobb Dr.
Smyrna, GA
1-800-329-9775

Peachford Hospital
2151 Peachford Road
Atlanta, Georgia 30338
770-455-3200

Hawaii:

Aloha Healing Retreats
P.O. 1850
Pahoa, Hawaii 96778
1-888-967-8622

Anorexia and Bulimia Center of Hawaii
Kailua, Oahu, Maui, HI
1-808-262-0398

Illinois:

Alexian Brothers Medical Center, IL
1650 Moon Lake Boulevard
Hoffman Estates, IL 60194
1-800-432-5005

Arabella House
806 Edgewater
Naperville, IL 60540
(630) 646-6798

ENH Highland Park Hospital
Center for Eating Disorders
777 Park Avenue West
Highland Park IL 60035
847-480-2617

Insight Psychological Center
4711 W. Golf Rd. Ste 403
Skokie, IL 60076
(847) 604-1918

Linden Oaks at Edward
801 South Washington Street
Naperville, IL 60540
(630) 305-5500

Timberline Knolls
40 Timberline Dr.
Lemont, IL 60439
630-343-2346

Indiana:

Eating Disorders Center of Indiana
3945 Eagle Creek Parkway
Suite C
Indianapolis IN 46254 lah
317-329-7071

Selah House
2541 North Shore Blvd
Anderson, IN 46011
(888) 641 - 0022

Kansas:

Menninger Clinic
Topeka, KS
1-800-351-9058

Louisiana:

Depaul Tulane Behavioral Health Center's Eating Disorders Program
1040 Calhoun Street
New Orleans, LA 70118
1-800-548-4183

River Oaks Hospital
Eating Disorder Treatment Center
1525 River Oaks Road West
New Orleans, LA 70123
1-800-366-1740

Maine:

Mercy Hospital
144 State Street
Portland, ME 04101
(207) 879-3795

Maryland:

Center for Eating Disorders at Sheppard Pratt
Sheppard & Enoch Pratt Hospital
6501 N. Charles Street Unit B-5
Baltimore, Maryland 21204
Phone: 410-938-5252

Washington Center for Eating Disorders & Adolescent Obesity
6410 Rockledge Drive, Suite 412
Bethesda, Maryland 20817
(301) 530-0676

Massachusetts:

Arbour Hospital
49 Robinwood Ave
Boston, MA 02130-2156
(617)522-4400

Cambridge Eating Disorder Center
3 Bow Street
Cambridge, MA 02138
main: 617-547-2255
residential program: 617-661-0841

Laurel Hill Inn
P. O. Box 368
Medford MA 02155-0004
781-396-1116

The Klarman Eating Disorders Center
at McLean Hospital
115 Mill St.
Belmont, MA 02478
email: klarmancenter@mclean.org
(617)855-3410

Walden Behavioral Care
9 Hope Ave.
Waltham, MA
881 647-6727

and

109 Main st.
Northampton MA
413 582-0100

Westwood Pembroke Health System:
The Eating Disorders Program
New England
1-617-762-7764 x488
1-800-22-ACCES

Michigan:

Forest View Psychiatric Hospital
1055 Medical Park Drive S.E.
Grand Rapids, MI 49546
1-800-949-8439

Four Seasons Treatment Center
1176 S. Main St.
Plymouth, MI 48170
(734) 416-3341

Minnesota:

The Emily Program
2550 University Avenue West, Suite 314N
St. Paul, MN 55114
(651) 645-5323

Methodist Hospital
Eating Disorders Institute
6490 Excelsior Blvd.
St. Louis Park, MN 55426
(952) 993-6200

Mississippi:

Pine Grove Women's Center
3875 Veteran's Memorial Drive
Hattiesburg, MS 39403
1-888-574-HOPE
info@pinegrove-treatment.com

Missouri:

Castlewood Treatment Center for Eating Disorders
800 Holland Rd.
St. Louis, MO 63021
636-386-6611

Eating Disorder Recovery Center
1034 S. Brentwood Blvd.
St. Louis, MO 63117
(314)721-5514

McCallum Place
231 W. Lockwood Ave Ste. 201
St. Louis, MO 63119
314-968-1900

Montana:

Rimrock Foundation
1231 N. 29th St.
PO Box 30374
Billings, MT 59107
1-406-248-3175
1- 800-227-3953

Nebraska:

Children's Hospital of Omaha, NE
8200 Dodge Street
Omaha, NE 68114
402-955-6190

OMNI Behavioral Health
8715 Oak St.
Omaha, NE 68124
402-333-0898

Nevada:

Center for Hope of the Sierras
1453 Pass Drive
Reno, Nevada 89511
1-775-828-4949Ê

New Hampshire:

Westwood Pembroke Health System:
The Eating Disorders Program
New England
Information: (617) 762-7764 x488
Admissions: 1-800-22-ACCES

New Jersey:

The Renfrew Center
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania; Coconut Creek, Florida; New York City; Ridgewood, New Jersey; Wilton, Connecticut; Charlotte, North Carolina; Nashville, Tennessee
1-800-RENFREW

Somerset Medical Center
110 Rehill Avenue
Somerville, NJ 08876
1-800-914-9444

University Medical Center at Princeton
253 Witherspoon Street
Princeton, NJ 08540
1-877-932-8935

New Mexico:

The Life Healing Center of Santa Fe
25 Vista Point Rd.
Santa Fe, NM 87508
(877)907-6237

New York:

Avalon Eating Disorder Center
346 Harris Hill Road
Williamsville, NY 14221
(716) 839-0999

The Eating Disorder Resource Center
24 East 12th St. Suite 505
New York, NY 10003
(212) 989-3987

Oliver-Pyatt Centers
www.oliverpyattcenters.com
866-511-HEAL (4325)

Ophelia's Place
407 Tulip St.
Liverpool, NY 13088
315-451-5544x10

The Renfrew Center
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania; Coconut Creek, Florida; New York City; Ridgewood, New Jersey; Wilton, Connecticut; Charlotte, North Carolina; Nashville, Tennessee
1-800-RENFREW

North Carolina:

Carolina House
176 Lassiter Homestead Road
Durham, North Carolina 27713
866-540-5240

Structure House
Durham, NC
1-800-553-0052

The Renfrew Center
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania; Coconut Creek, Florida; New York City; Ridgewood, New Jersey; Wilton, Connecticut; Charlotte, North Carolina; Nashville, Tennessee
1-800-RENFREW

North Dakota:

Eating Disorder Institute
Meritcare South University
1720 S. University Dr.
Fargo, ND 58122
800-437-4010 x 4111
701-234-4111

Ohio:

Laurelwood Eating Disorders Program
35900 Euclid Ave.
Willoughby, OH 44094
1-800-438-4673

Lindner Center of HOPE
4075 Old Western Row Road
Mason, Ohio 45040
513 / 536-HOPE

River Centre Clinic
5465 Main St.
Sylvania, OH 43560
1-419-885-8800

Sibcy House
4075 Old Western Row Road
Mason, Ohio 45040
513 / 536-HOPE

Oklahoma:

Laureate Eating Disorders Program
6655 South Yale Avenue
Tulsa, OK
1-800-322-5173 Option 3

Rader Programs
Brookhaven Hospital
201 South Garnett
Tulsa, Oklahoma 74128-1800
1-800-841-1515
rader@raderprograms.com

Oregon:

A Better Way Counseling Center
818 NW 17th Av.
Portland, OR 97209
(503) 226-9061

Aliveness Institute Healing Retreats
BodyWay’s Unique and Customized Programs for Eating Disorder Recovery
Arnold & 35th
Portland OR 97219
503.293.8906; 1-800-765-1319

Kartini Clinic
2800 N. Vancouver, Suite 118
Portland, OR 97227
(503) 249 8851

Pennsylvania:

Belmont Center for Comprehensive Treatment
4200 Monument Road
Philadelphia, PA 19131
(215) 456-8000

Friends Hospital Eating Disorders Program
4641 Roosevelt Boulevard
Philadelphia, PA 19124
(215) 831-4600

Penn State Milton S. Hershey Medical Center
Eating Disorders Program
905 W. Governor Road Suite 250
Hershey, PA 17033
717-531-2099
www.PennStateHershey.org/eatingdisorders

UPMC
Western Psychiatric Institute & Clinic (WPIC)
3811 O'Hara Street
Pittsburgh, PA 15213-2593
877-624-4100

The Renfrew Center
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania; Coconut Creek, Florida; New York City; Ridgewood, New Jersey; Wilton, Connecticut; Charlotte, North Carolina; Nashville, Tennessee
1-800-RENFREW

South Carolina:

Hilton Head Health Institute
14 Valencia Road
Hilton Head Island, SC 29928
1-800-292-2440

Tennessee:

Center for Eating Disorders at Focus Health
7429 Shallowford Road
Chattanooga, TN 37421
1-800-675-2041
www.focuscenterforeatingdisorders.com

The Ranch
P.O. Box 38
Nunnelly, TN 37137
1-800-849-5969

The Renfrew Center
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania; Coconut Creek, Florida; New York City; Ridgewood, New Jersey; Wilton, Connecticut; Charlotte, North Carolina; Nashville, Tennessee
1-800-RENFREW

SOLACE, LLC
3085 South Broad Street
Chattanooga, TN 37408
423-752-5207

Texas:

Cedar Springs
4613 Bee Caves Road, Suite 104
Austin, TX 78746
877.755.2244
512.732.2400

La Que Sabe ED Clinic
4103 Marathon Blvd.
Austin, TX 78756
512-478-9240

Menninger Clinic
Houston, TX
1-800-351-9058

Presbyterian Hospital of Dallas
8200 Walnut Hill Lane
Dallas, TX 75231
1-800-411-7081

Sante Center For Healing
914 Country Club Rd.
Argyle, TX 76226
1-800-258-4250

Shades of Hope Treatment Center
P.O. Box 639
Buffalo Gap, TX 75908
1-800-588-HOPE

Cadwalder Behavioral Clinics
30903 Quinn Road
Tomball, TX 77375
281-351-6644
866-351-6644 (toll free)

Utah:

Avalon Hills Eating Disorder Clinic
7852 West 600 North
Petersboro, UT 84325
(800) 330-0490
info@avalonhills.org

Center for Change
1790 North State Street
Orem, UT 84057
1-801-224-8255

New Life Center
1255 E. 3900 S
Salt Lake City, UT 84124
(888) 281-3353

Vermont:

Brattleboro Retreat
75 Linden Street
P.O. Box 803
Brattleboro, VT 05302
1-800-738-7328

Green Mountain at Fox Run
Fox Lane, Box 164
Ludlow, VT 05149
800-448-8106

Washington:

A Place of Hope
The Center for Counseling & Health Resources, Inc.
547 Dayton
Edmonds, WA 98020
1-888-771-5166

Moore Center, The
1601 114th Av. SE, #180
Bellevue, WA 98004
(425) 451-1134

Wisconsin:

Rogers Memorial Hospital ED Center
34700 Valley Road
Oconomowoc, WI 53066
1-800-767-4411

CANADA:

Beau Cote Centre For Eating Disorders Inc.
RR#1, AR-49
Bowen Island, B.C. V0N 1G0
1.888.947.9003

The Last Resort
c/o McCarroll & Associates Inc.
Seefried Plaza, Suite 208
6036 - 3 St. SW
Calgary, Alberta Canada T2H 0H9
1-403-209-0224

Marnies Place
Brantford, Ontario
CANADA
519-752-5468

New Realities Eating Disorders Recovery Centre
62 Charles Street East, Suite 103
Toronto, Ontario M4Y 1T1
Toronto: 416 921-9670
Thornhill: 905 763-0660

SACRED's Eating Disorder Recovery Program
#182, 10654-82 Avenue
Edmonton, AB T6E 2A7
(780)903-3300

Westwind Eating Disorder Recovery Centre
458 14th St.
Brandon, MB R7A 4T3
Canada
1-204-728-2499

MEXICO:

Comenzar de Nuevo, AC
Association for the Prevention, Detection and Treatment of ED
Avenida Humberto Lobo No. 240 Local 8
Colonia Del Valle
San Pedro Garza Garcia, NL 66252 Mexico
Phone: (52) (81) 81 29 46 83
(52) (81) 81 29 46 84

ECUADOR:

The Center, A Place of Hope, Ecuador S.A.
La Cumbre N34-110 entre Carlos Montúfar y Quiteño Libre
Quito, Ecuador.
Phones: (593 2) 224 8442 and (593 2) 227 5575

www.bulimia.com

Celebrities with Eating Disorders

Daniel Johns

He's a much loved rock'n'roller who's married to one of the world's most beautiful women. But singer Daniel Johns has finally revealed the horror behind his teenage anorexia - a condition which nearly left him dead.

Johns has admitted he was close to suicide a number of times as he battled the eating disorder in his late teens. It is the first time the singer has spoken at length about his anorexia, a problem which is affecting increasing numbers of teenage boys in Australia.

Elton John

(Birth name Reginald Kenneth Dwight)
Elton John attended the Royal Academy of Music from 1958 to 1964 on a piano scholarship at age 11. He dropped out just before final exams to pursue show business. He was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1994. He was married in 1984 to Renate Blauel who was a sound engineer. They divorced 4 years later, In 1990 he entered rehabilitation for drugs, alcohol and bulimia. In recovery, he lost weight and underwent hair replacement. He afterward decided to not fight his emotions and took a male lover. He was good friends with legend John Lennon and was Godson to Sean Ono Lennon, son of John and Yoko. In 1997 he was Knighted by Queen Elizabeth, and he re-wrote and sang "Candle in the Wind" as a tribute to his friend Princess Lady Diana at her funeral.

Elvis Presley

Elvis suffered with bipolar disorder, which is a more technical name for manic depression. Elvis' substance abuse, eating disorders, and chronic depression should be placed in the larger context of a personality disorder. We think that this will shed new light on the issue of Elvis' death and will take it out of the narrow context of suspected overdose and addiction to the larger and more fundamental issues of Elvis' childhood, family history, the cultural influences of the times in which he lived and other factors which contributed to a possible personality disorder.

Franz Kafka

Poet Franz Kafka, who wrote the short story "The Hunger Artist", suffered from anorexia. The evidence for the hypothesis that the poet Franz Kafka had suffered from an atypical anorexia nervosa is presented. Kafka was slim and underweight throughout his life and showed an ascetic attitude and abjuration of physical enjoyment and pleasure (fasting, vegetarianism, sexual abstinence, emphasis on physical fitness). The analysis is mainly based on Kafka's own descriptions in his letters, diaries, and literary work. Kafka was achievement oriented, reported many sadomasochistic fantasies, and had an anancastic (obsessive-compulsive) depressive personality.

Gelsey Kirkland

In 1986, Kirkland, with Greg Lawrence, published Dancing on My Grave, a tell-all autobiography detailing her struggles with eating disorders and drug addiction. One of the truths of art and life is that what we see with our eyes is not the whole story. I believe this same truth applies to eating disorders and the obsession with the body. I am not a doctor of anything, but I can offer my perspective on this topic as a person who has been through the goulash, and as an artist from the lopsided world of ballet. From my point of view, narcissistic body image problems exist as a manifestation of our spiritual state. It is not a body issue; it is an issue of the soul. Anorexia is an obsession with externals and, if left unchecked, a shutting down of the body and soul, sometimes tragically to the point of death.

Both ballet and society at large can be accused of the same obsessions: technique, technology, sexy, pretty, information, money--all skimming the surface, all externals. Little or no time is given to the heart, to the story, to meaning. We are presently in a "healthy," "sporty" body image period. We talk openly about health issues. This is good and necessary, however, the body still remains primary. The body rules!

Janet Jackson

Singer Janet Jackson has been quoted in the media as having an ongoing battle with an eating disorder. Sources say she has been battling weight problems most of her life, and recently blew-up to 160 pounds from her normal weight of 118 pounds. "She'll go months eating whatever she can get her hands on, and then she'll go months eating just salads and fruits and drinking Evian water," the family source said. "She's had this feast-or-famine eating disorder for years and has gotten up to 200 pounds or more at times." The source revealed that Jackson is back with her personal trainer, Tony Martinez, in an effort to tone up by the time her new album is released.

For years, Janet says, she fooled everybody--her fans, her friends, even herself--pretending to be this self-assured woman who'd finally taken control of her life, smiling on the outside while she was aching on the inside. "I had my ways of hiding my pain," she confides. "Laughing when there was nothing to laugh at. Smiling when there wasn't anything to smile about. That was just my way of getting through life. Pretending like every thing was okay. I guess I did it so well that I really began to believe it. I fooled myself. Using my escapisms was my thing to not feel my pain--whatever would numb the pain. Food became a favorite anesthetic. "I escaped through eating," she confesses. Until a year, maybe two, before she started recording The Velvet Rope, it hit her If she ever wanted to feel good about herself, she had to stop running away from her feelings.

Janet Jackson's once ripped abs and svelte 118 pound frame has been replaced with 160 lbs of gravy. She has reportedly contacted her old friend and trainer, Tony Martinez, in hopes to shed the 40+ lbs by the time her forthcoming album is released in early spring.
A family friend said, "She'll go months of eating whatever she can get her hands on, and then she'll go months eating just salads and fruits and drinking Evian water. She's had this feast-or-famine eating disorder for years and has gotten up to 200 pounds or more at times."
Janet's reported eating habits may be because of the increased stress of having to support her famous family amid brother Michael's recent legal and financial issues.

The lastest on Janet Jackson according to all the celebrity news in she now once againg has gained weight. At the end of May, Janet Jackson appeared on the cover of US Weekly looking much toned and speaking about how she lost 60 pounds and kept the weight off for more than one year. Now, after just a month and a half, she seems to have gained at least 20 pounds since posing for that cover. Apparently, she didn't "end her yo-yo weight nightmare" after all! Hopefully she can get some help with this.

Maria Conchita Alonso

Beauty pageant winner and actress Maria Conchita Alonso, the first contemporary international Latina superstar, recently began speaking out about her struggle with bulimia. Struggling with the condition for nearly a decade, resulting in damage to her esophagus and her teeth, she eventually sought help for the self-destructive syndrome. With the help of a balanced diet, exercise, and a physician specializing in eating disorders, Maria has learned to control her condition. She also shares her story with audiences across the country in hopes of helping the millions of people afflicted with eating disorders.

Mariah Carey

Mariah's Eating Disorder?

After a period of relative normality, it's good to see communications between Earth and Planet Mariah functioning again, and as bonkers as ever. The latest peep into Carey world centers on Mariah's dietary requirements, which seem surprisingly normal... for an 18 month-old baby. So we skip past Mariah telling Marie Claire about her "up and down" weight, straight to the bit where she admits to using a bib when she's eating in bed.She said: "I am just like, 'Whatever, nobody is looking at me for once!' That's why I don't really like to eat in public. When people say, 'Mariah never eats in public,' I'm like, 'You're right.'" And y'know, diamond-encrusted bibs are like, soooo '80s!

Huckabe

Governor of Arkansas Mike Huckabee, has had major issues with overeating and has been in recovery for some time now. In the deep south where an all-you-can-eat buffet is your divine right, Governor Huckabee has been through many weight-loss programs with short-term and limited results. After being warned about diabetes his doctor had a serious talk to him about a lifestyle change. After former friend and colleague, former governor Frank White died of a massive heart attack Huckabee decided he had better wise up. Today Governor Mike is, and has been, on a tailored designed program.

Oprah Winfrey
The most influential person on TV, Oprah Winfrey, who was raped at the age of nine by her nineteen year old cousin and repeatedly sexually abused, struggled with disordered eating. Oprah, who said about her weight "It's always a struggle. I've felt safer and more protected when I was heavy. Food has always been comforting."

Paula Abdul
Singer and dancer , famous for her daring necklines and skin-tight dresses, has a secret weapon for keeping her figure sexy and trim. She employs a highly priced "food cop" to patrol her kitchen.

Top Hollywood nutritionist Yolanda Berman keeps a strict eye on what 36-year-old Abdul keeps in her pantry, cupboards and fridge. Abdul once thought nothing of sitting down to wolf down a whole cake, a bag of biscuits and a tub of ice cream. Then she would retreat to the bathroom and purge herself of the food. She had to overcome the eating disorder bulimia, whose sufferers binge and purge, by checking into a clinic in 1994. Abdul was once also an exercise junkie, trying to burn off the extra kilojoules she had taken in by over-indulging in food. "I used to be a fanatic," she says. "I used to exercise four or five times a day. "Now it's different. I don't exercise too much for the wrong reasons. Three times a week I'll do some cardiovascular or aerobic activity.

Richard Simmons

Fitness and diet guru Richard Simmons suffered from an eating disorder in the past. Simmons prevailed over his own weight problem before relocating to Los Angeles in 1973. There was no significant fitness movement in this country at the time, and to no avail, Simmons attempted to find a health club that wasn't for people who were already in shape. After traversing the county, looking for a facility for any and everyone, his only alternative was for him to create that safe haven. In 1974, after consulting with doctors and nutritionists to ensure the safety of a program tailored to the needs of everyone, from the overweight and obese, physically challenged to the seniors, a determined Simmons established an innovative place where the overweight of the world were welcomed with open arms. This program was met with instant success and continues today at SLIMMONS in Beverly Hills, where Richard still teaches. While many of his legions of fans are overweight, he also resonates with everyone, anyone who has a few pounds to lose and wants to be fit.

Thandie Newton

Thandie Newton’s dress at last night’s Empire Awards certainly didn’t do anything to improve her super-skinny look. It hung off her body shapelessly and her arms looked like twigs - we suspect the Empire Award she won for Best Actress would weigh more than she did…
Speaking to the Mirror, she said that no one ever accuses her of being too slim because “I keep getting pregnant.”
“So one day I’m slim and the next I have a bump. In the last two years my body has changed so much and breast feeding really helps you to lose weight as well.”
“I think the Hollywood size four is a bad thing. I don’t stick to any diets. I eat when I’m hungry. Thankfully I have my mother’s frame and I’ve always been slim.”

Whitney's Battle Continues

What happened to Whitney? It is amazing that someone so talented can have deteriorated so much. Is her marriage to Bobby Brown to blame or was her downfall inevitable? Who knows?! Since her 1992 marriage to bad boy Brown Houston has been on a steady decline. The marriage has been filled with rumors of infidelity, drug abuse, eating disorders, and physical and mental abuse. This is not the first time Houston has checked herself into rehab. She has tried kicking her addictions twice before once in 2004 and once in 2005. She needs to get her act together, if not for her, for her daughter Bobbi Kristina.

By Buzzle Staff and Agencies
Published: 4/20/2006

caringonline.com

Eating Disorders begin to Plague Black Teens

Note: This article was originally published on December 11, 2000.


Star Jones and Oprah Winfrey embody the cultural tug-of-war faced by African-American teen girls. Recent studies indicate that they too are becoming more vulnerable to the cult of thinness and its accompanying health hazards.

Star Jones

(WOMENSENEWS)--Women of color are pulled between two body ideals: the ideal of extreme thinness in the dominant culture and the historic appreciation of fuller figures in communities of color.

This tug and pull is exemplified by two famous and respected African-American women: Star Jones and Oprah Winfrey.

In a 1999 cover story in Essence, Jones, a host on ABC's "The View," said her body size is only an issue for those who try to make it one. Instead, she said, "I want little black girls out there to say, 'I'm jammin',' instead of buying into the negative images: You're too loud. You're too dark. You're too fat."

Winfrey, on the other hand, has engaged in a long on-going public battle to slim down. In both responses, there's an inherent understanding that the beauty of black women is played out between the beauty standard of the dominant culture and that of communities that value larger women.

However, Winfrey's obeisance to the cult of thinness may be in fact more typical than what is commonly believed.

Until recently, the fascination with weight and its toll on teen-age women has been thought of primarily as a white, suburban problem.

According to the National Eating Disorder Screening Program, 15 percent of all young women have substantially disordered eating behaviors. Of that number, some 2 to 3 percent develop bulimia and about 1 percent become anorexic, according to the National Association of Anorexia Nervosa and Associated Disorders. The data are not broken down by race.
Evidence Growing That Black Teens Are Becoming More Vulnerable

Growing evidence indicates that African-American teen-agers may be falling prey to these disorders as well. Essence magazine commissioned its own eating disorder survey in 1994, based on the premise that black women had been effectively excluded from previous studies. Some 2,000 women responded, mostly from the magazine's middle-class audience. Clinical researchers analyzed the results and concluded that African-American women were at risk for and suffer from eating disorders in at least the same proportions as white women.

Subsequent investigations bear this out. Ruth Striegel-Moore, a psychology professor at Wesleyan University, reached a similar conclusion in her recently published study, "Recurrent Binge Eating in Black American Women." Although not particularly focused on the economic class of participants, Striegel-Moore found that black women experienced binge eating as much as white women and were also more likely to abuse laxatives than white women.

Diane Harris, a professor of psychology at San Francisco State University, argues, however, that community plays an important role in whether African-American teens are vulnerable to eating disorders. Harris says that when young black women start "getting messages from varying places" about the way they should look, it can be hard for them to understand what to do. This can lead to an "ethno-cultural identity crisis," making them "more vulnerable to eating disturbances."

Harris adds that African-American women may become more vulnerable to eating disorders if their peer groups are composed of middle-class white teen-agers.

In her study, "Ethno-cultural Identity and Eating Disorders in Women of Color," Harris says she found that "women of color certainly appeared to demonstrate fewer symptoms of what is a traditional eating disorder, depending on how culturally tied they were to their communities." She added, "Middle-class African-American adolescents unfortunately tended to demonstrate eating disorders more than other African-American adolescents."

The reason may be that women with larger bodies are more generally accepted in the black community or even appreciated, says Shannette Harris (no relation to Diane Harris), an associate professor of clinical psychology at the University of Rhode Island.

"Context is everything," she said. "Black women are not particularly quick to be rewarded for being thin," since there is no particularly great value placed on thinness in the African-American community. "Younger black girls are more likely to say they want to gain weight. What they choose often correlates to the body shape of their mother."

By: Mashadi Matabane is a New York-based journalist.

www.womensenews.org

Afro-American Women and Eating Disorders

Much of the research suggest that even though African-American women are heavier than white women, 49% of black females are overweight as opposed to 33% of white females - they are less likely to have disordered eating (or suffer from specific eating disorders) than white women are.

In addition, African-American women are generally more satisfied with their bodies and body shape, basing their definition of attractiveness on more than simply body size. Instead, they tend to include other factors such as how a woman dresses, carries, and grooms herself. Some have considered this broader definition of beauty and greater body satisfaction at heavier weights a potential protection against eating disorders.

In fact, some studies conducted in the early 1990's indicate that African-American women exhibit less restrictive eating patterns, and that, at least among those who are college students, are less likely than white women to engage in bulimic behaviors.

By: www.annecollins.com

Body Image in African American Women

Body image is an important facet in understanding the phenomenon of eating disorders. Body image concerns are important in the etiology and treatment of eating disorders and obesity. The construct of body image reflects the level of satisfaction one feels regarding his or her body. Body image is a multidimensional construct. It involves race, socioeconomic status, age, as well as, perceptual and attitudinal components. For this reason, research has been done to dispel the myth that all women have a negative body image. Rather, as has been shown, there are definite differences in the perception of body image and self-concept, especially across racial lines. The claims of most studies suggest that African-American women generally have a greater tolerance or acceptability for higher body weight. In addition, African-American women are also more likely to be satisfied if they are at a higher body weight, and still regard themselves as attractive. Research not only confirms these statements, but also draws attention to other important, culturally-relevant factors, such as age in relation to other cultural forces such as, different attitudes and behaviors that shape the body images of African-American women. Finally, since research shows that body image is an important aspect in the etiology of eating disorders and obesity, its influence and the cultural forces and components behind it should be taken into account in treatment and for future research.

According to Altabe's (1996) study, there are differences in body image that can be measured through both quantitative and qualitative means. The participant in the study were volunteer college students at the University of South Florida who were recruited from minority student organizations (Black Student Union, Asian Students Association, etc.) and received extra credit points in exchange for participation. The sample consisted of 150 males and 185 females, and the average age was 21. Ethnicity was deter med by self-identification.

The measures used were the administration of the Body Dissatisfaction scale of the Eating Disorders Inventory, as well as, the Figure Rating Scale. This scale involves the participant looking at a series of silhouettes ranging in size, and asking them to choose which one best represents how they look and how they wished they looked. The discrepancy in these two indicates the level of body dissatisfaction. Participants were also subjected to several questionnaires that measure body image. Questions were included concerning cultural expectations and idealizations,as well as, physical attractiveness, and the importance of physical appearance (Altabe, 1998).

In the figure rating discrepancy, African-American women showed less dissatisfaction than Caucasians and Hispanic-Americans. In the non-weight related body image tests African-American women had more positive cognitions than all other groups, and overall, African-Americans had a higher rating of self-attractiveness. The qualitative analysis of data points out that height was a quality desired or valued by all groups, and all women wanted to be thinner. This suggest that African-American women can possess the desire for a more healthy or lean body shape without letting it destruct their image of themselves and sense of attractiveness. Lastly, the issue of skin tone was brought up among, African-American women. In African-American culture, both dark and light-skin tones carry stereotypes and idealizations that are deeply rooted in the history and experience of African-American in this country. Thus, undoubtedly has some effect on body image. This illustrates the importance of cultural facets of body image.

Also, Henriques, Calhoun, and Cann (1996) conducted a study to clarify the relationship between ethnicity and body satisfaction. In this study, 84 White women and 33 Black women were issued bogus positive or negative social feedback so the effect of the feedback on their body satisfaction could be measure. The body satisfaction of White women decreased with negative feedback and increased with positive feedback; however, this effect did not exist for the Black women (Henriques et al., 1996). The authors argue that this evidence supports the need to differentiate between ethnic groups when dealing with eating disorders and body image.

In the CARDIA study, Smith et al. (1997) examined body image among a population of men and women in a biracial cohort, and revealed that there are significant differences in body image across racial, as well as, gender lines. Body image measures were obtained from 1,837 men (45% Black) and 1,895 women (51% Black) by using measures of body size dissatisfaction and various subscales of the Multidimensional Body Self-Relations Questionnaire. Participants were re-examined in Year 2, 5 and again in Year 7. The participants in this study were recruited from four different geographic locations by community-based sampling, and through membership of a large prepaid health plan. Smith et al (1997) claim that this sample of subjects is more reflective of the population than the studies that use the convenient source of college students for studies. The sample of subjects was controlled for age, gender, and level of education by balancing each component out within the sample, and thus, eliminating potential effects of confounds. However, the recruitment of subjects through their membership in a prepaid health plan suggest that these are people who can afford health care of some type, which could possible result in differences in perception of health, self, and even body image. In addition, due to the length of the entire study the retention of participants dropped. By the 7th year, 85% of Whites and 75% of Blacks were retained from the original sample. This introduces the problem of attitude and behavioral shifts that occur with age. However, Smith et al. (1997) did not focus on body image as related to age within this study.

The measures used in this study included sociodemographic characteristics such as age, gender, ethnicity, and years of education, which were obtained by a questionnaire. In addition, height and weight were measured order to compute the body mass index. In order to measure body image, the Figure Rating Scale was used to determine the Feel-Ideal discrepancy of the participants. Here participants were asked to choose their ideal figure and then they were asked to choose the figure they felt reflected how they actually perceived themselves. The greater the discrepancy between these two scores, the more dissatisfied one was with their body shape and size. The two subscales of the Multidimensional Body Self-Relation Questionnaire, the Appearance Evaluation subscale and the Appearance Orientation subscale were also used to assess body image. The content and nature of the questions was not discussed in the article. it would be interesting to examine the content of the questions to find if weight-related and non-weight related questions were asked to measure body image. Higher scores on the Appearance Evaluation subscale are associated with greater body satisfaction, and higher scores on the Appearance Orientation subscale reflect a greater importance on physical appearance.

The results of this study not only indicated that African-Americans was more interested in appearance than Whites, but that women were more interested than men. Women were also more displeased with their appearance than men. However, White men were more dissatisfied than Black men, and even though both Black and White women were similarly dissatisfied with appearance Black women were more dissatisfied than White women. In addition, across all groups those who had a high Body Mass Index were more dissatisfied than others. Overall, Smith et al. (1997) suggest that although Black women report similar discrepancies in ideal and current size, they possess some additional source of influence that allows them to feel attractive and satisfied with their appearance even when at higher body weight. The study suggest that these factors may be an additional interest and investment in physical appearance. Personal style and presentation are factors that effect one's evaluation of attractiveness and body image. These are factors that need to be considered when discussing the body image of various cultural groups.

African-American women vary in their perception of body image because their definitions and descriptions of body weight are different (Gore, 1999). These differences are a result of influential variables such as social interaction, gender roles, and racial identity. Each of these factors take place within cultural context, and thus, can effect one's perception and attitudes towards body image and the cultural demands and idealizations of one's culture toward body image. The interaction of these facets is illustrated in the fact that African-American women's frame of reference for normal body weight is much larger than the standard (Gore, 1999) Therefore, the larger ideal body weight that many African-American women embrace could possibly explain the consistency of positive body image and self-esteem independent of body size. This points to some aspect of culture that leads African-American women to believe that their ideal body size is supposed to be higher, and yet for the most part, they still maintain positive body image. There seems to be less social and cultural pressure for African-American women to equate beauty and thinness, and to conform to the standards that are largely based and validated on the image and figures of White women. Thus, as previously mentioned, there must be other factors that influence the conceptual definitions of body size and body image. Research by Bessellieu (1997) of a population of 205 African-American women, reveals that African-American women's body image depended on their perception of body weight. This means that those women who were overweight but did not perceive themselves as being overweight had a more favorable self-image than those women who were overweight and acknowledged their weight status did. Also, dieting behaviors were found only in those women who had a history of weight problems. Bessellieu (1997) also notes that body image in these women was related to broad definitions of beauty that were based more on personal characteristics such as attitude, and less on physical appearance. Lastly, the author of this study did not establish a positive relationship between racial identity and satisfaction of body image, but it was found that negative racial identity was related to body dissatisfaction. This could possibly relate to the findings of Altabe (1997) which discussed skin tone as a non-weight related component of body image. The issue of dark skin versus light skin as well as, one's cultural experience with the stereotypes and idealizations regarding both is a possible area of study for future research in the definitions of beauty and body image in African-American women.

In addition, there is also evidence to explain how African-American women deal with the drive for thinness that is so powerful in American society. Research at Old Dominion University illustrates that not only do White women report a significantly thinner body size than Black women, but they also reported greater social pressure to be thin than Black women (Powell U Kahn, 1995). There was also information presented that revealed White men had less desire to date a woman of heavier ideal body size than Black men for a greater fear of being ridiculed. Powell and Kahn (1995) suggest that these factors reflect a lack of strong social pressure to be thin for African-American women, thus, possibly explains the higher ideal weight of African-American women and their lessened concern with dieting. The greater acceptability of African-American men to be with a woman who has higher body size also seems to be an important component to the total body image of African-American women to a certain extent from feeling the need to succumb to the pressures of the more dominant American culture, which does not value the features and physiques typical of many African-American women. These factors could lead to possible explanations of the low number of African-American women with eating disorders compared with White women.

Age is also an interesting aspect in examining the idea of body image. Body image is a multidimensional psychological construct that is subject to alterations due to experiences. With African-American women attitudes shift with age regarding body image and thinness as illustrated in the following two studies. In a study of 613 preadolescence Black and White girls were given various tests, such as Drive for Thinness Scale, a Criticism about Weight Scale, and the Self-Perception Profile for Children (Striegel-Moore, Schreiber, Pike, Wilfey, and Roden, 1995). Results revealed that both groups associated the drive for thinness with adiposity; however, African-American girls wee influenced by criticism about weight and young White girls were influenced more by physical appearance. According to Stregel-Moore, et al. (1995) the most stunning finding was that there was a greater drive for thinness among young African-American girls. This is surprising due to the low prevalence of anorexia and the higher rate of obesity in African-American women (Striegel-Moore, et al.., 1995). This study sparks a desire to know more about the vulnerability of approaching puberty and how that plays into the already existing cultural conceptualizations about body size, as well as, how young pre-adolescent African-American girls fit into the dominant culture of society. In contrast, Stevens, Kumanyika, and Kell (1994) reveal that elderly Black women wee more likely to feel satisfied with their body weight, and less likely to diet or feel guilty after a meal. This study reflects that there are attitudinal and behavioral changes that occur with age that result in a more positive body image. Also, research on college undergraduates on self-esteem as a function of race and weight reveal that post-adolescent attitudes regarding weight and body image are more positive. Here, 205 White and 70 Black females with an average age of 21.9 wee tested using various measures, such as the Rosenberg Self-esteem Scale and three subscales of the Eating Disorder Inventory (Drive for Thinness, Bulimia, and Body Dissatisfaction). These tests were administered in the form of questionnaires that the participant filled out, and then screened for the variable of weight and diet preoccupation (WDP). As revealed by Jones, M. Moulton, P. Mouton, and Roach (1999), the results show that not only do Black women have a higher ideal body weight, but White women scored higher WDP than Black females (9.65 and 8.5 respectively). There was also a difference in the self-esteem scores of both groups, with Black women showing a higher average than White women (Jones et al., 1999). Jones et al. (1999) report that although both Black and White females posses the desire to lose weight, their ideals contrast regarding ideal and actual weight. In addition, this study reveals that Black women do not equate higher weight with being unattractive, and this attitude becomes more prominent with age.

In Conclusion, research shows that African-American women consistently report greater acceptability for higher body weight, as well as, higher ideal body weights, while still maintaining positive perceptions of body image. Cultural idealizations and expectations serve to shape and mold the definitions and descriptions of beauty and body that contribute to the construct of body image in African-American women. This is exemplified in the lack of social pressure to be thin and the lessened social negativity toward obesity in the African-American community. It is actually somewhat surprising that African-American women continue to have a high body image even though the standards of the dominant cultural forces point toward more European standards. The ultimate blonde-haired, blue-eyed, 5'10", and thin White women has for many years been the standard off of which all other beauty was based, judged, and validated. Thus, the stability of the African-American woman's positive body image seems to be quite a feat in the midst of a culture that looks upon the curves that typify many women., in addition to African-American women as unattractive and even unhealthy. Therefore, one's specific culture seems to provide necessary interactions that contribute to body image. The data p[pointed out by Powell and Kahn (1995), that discusses the greater likelihood of Black men to accept a woman of higher body weight brings forth the possibility of affirmed sexuality by male counterparts as a key component in African-American women's perception of body image. Age is also an important factor in evaluating body image because attitudes, behaviors, and perceptions are subject to change with age. As previously noted by Striegel-Moore (1995), attitudes of pre-adolescent girls are not reflective of the attitudes of post-adolescent African-American women is less effected by body size, and the total perception of body image consists of various components and factors of African-American culture. In the future, the strong cultural influence on body image should be considered in the evaluation of all women in regards to the diagnosis and treatment of eating disorders. Further research on specific aspects of body image such as, how eating behaviors factor in are suggested to better understand this topic as it relates to the larger issue of eating disorders.

By: Vashti Dotson

Eating Disorders Among Black Women and Other Women of Color

Like other women throughout the world, black women and other women of color suffer with concerns about body image and undergo anxieties abut what they eat. Several recent studies, however make this reality appear questionable.

By: Patrica Romney Ph.D

White Bias in Research

In their research, Powell and Kahn asked why "white women are more prone to eating disorders than black women". They found that white women were interested in a much thinner body size than black women and expressed more concern about weight and dieting. They concluded that black culture is more accepting of large size than white culture and that the black subgroup places less emphasis on thinness. Henriques, Calhoun and Cann reported in the Journal of Social Psychology that black women show "less problematic eating behaviors and less dietary restraint". Crago, Shisslak, and Estes reported that although the black women they studied in the United States were heavier than Caucasian women, they were less dissatisfied with their weight, and had fewer weight concerns and a more positive self-image. In contrast to many white women they said, black women perceive themselves to be thinner than they actually are.

These findings seem to suggest that black women are somehow more healthy and balanced abut their eating than their white counterparts,. They implicitly link problematic eating behaviors to dietary restriction. And for unknown reasons these studies do not pick up the widespread weight concerns of women of color. At the same time, however, some of these studies acknowledge that obesity and obesity related health problems are significant among black women across all socio-economic classes. How are we to make sense of this research? Power, it is said, is the ability to define reality. In the field of eating disorders, the powers that be, mainly white researchers studying white subjects, have led to defining eating disorders narrowly as anorexia and bulimia. Given this narrow definition of eating disorders, the recent research on black women and other women of color provides evidence of some foggy conceptualizations. Powell et.al. for example, begin with the assumption that black women are less prone to eating disorders and then focus on thinness as the sole template of disturbed weight and body image. In one part of their paper, Crago et al. state that eating disorders are higher among well educated minority groups, but by naming restriction, vomiting and bingeing, they make clear that they are defining eating disorders solely in terms of anorexia and bulimia. The research by Crago does acknowledge in the end, however, that "Being overweight is a risk factor for eating disorders among minority women...".

This last statement begins to bring us closer to a necessary, more inclusive definition of eating disorders. As a research by Wilfley, Schreiber, Pike, Streigel-Moore, Wright and Rodin reveals, there is more eating pathology among black women than previously thought.

By: Patricia Romney Ph.D

How are Eating Disorders Different Among Women of Color?

My clinical experience supports the data of the Wilfley team. In communities of black women, the types of disordered eating that predominate are compulsive eating, the consumption of high fat diets, and simple overeating which result in obesity. Obesity can lead, in a higher degree than in the white community, to illnesses like hypertension, heart disease and cancer, and often eventuates in premature death. Obesity is also a factor among poor Latino women, and is a major factor for many native women as well. For black women and other women of color then, eating problems must include overeating, high fat consumption and obesity.

One of the members of my Wild Geese Group )a group for women fighting to overcome eating disorders) was a young native university student who weighed close to 300 pounds. Aside from her weight problems. Rene also struggled with a chemical dependency. Rene's clinical picture included several classic precursors of eating disorders. Her parents were divorced and she had been raped as a high school student. Cultural issues were also important. She had a family history of obesity and she linked her food and alcohol substance abuse problems to her life on the reservation. She described vividly her life on a reservation where unemployment was high and poverty was an ongoing fact of life. Food availability was inconsistent, and cheap and fattening foods were the mainstays of her diet.
When she came of age, she worked at a gambling casino on the reservation, where native people regularly came and routinely lost their money. She felt great guilt and anguish about putting herself through university on money earned from work at a casino, which she felt exploited her own people.

Another case is a young talented black woman whose mother worked two and three jobs as a single parent when the child was young. Later her mother moved into a fast moving professional track and the daughter spent her afternoons alone, eating. She weighed some thirty to forty pounds more than her White classmates in the predominantly white school she attended. Her white friends, who were struggling with similar family issues, starved themselves; this young woman, who had a history of family obesity and family diabetes, did the opposite, she overate.

Cases of anorexia among women of color are not unheard of, however. A 1984 paper published in the British Journal of Psychiatry documents anorexia nervosa in a black Zimbabwean girl. This article is notable for highlighting the saliency of psychosocial issues. "Firstly she was educated in white boarding schools whee she was exposed to the desirability of slimness as a social norm; no such value pertains in Shona society where a fat wife is traditionally regarded as an important manifestation of her husband's affluence." Foregrounding the issue of social class, the authors noted that "Middle class African families commonly set great store on academic achievement, and over driven children are by no means rare."

By: Patricia Romney Ph.D

Culture and Eating Disorders

Many cases in my practice illustrate the relationship between culture and eating disorders. One Ethiopian girl fleeing from civil war in her country had been sent to a preparatory school in the U.S. Gradually, she found herself unable to eat. She spent her days sipping water. She denied that the famine and drought in Ethiopia and the sight of the emaciated bodies, which were daily being shown on television, had anything to do with her eating disorder. A young woman from Cambodia had spent her early years in a refugee camp there. After years of trauma induced by war and relocation and after spending several years in the United States she too became unable to eat. An affluent African American girl whose mother was president of a prestigious university became anorexic in high school after years of feeling secondary to her parents' professional work. She was overcome with anxiety about her future. She felt the implicit mandate was for her to achieve at a very high level, but she felt unable to do so. What could she do, she wondered, to surpass her parents? Restrictive eating became her "achievement." For many Latin women, especially middle and upper class women, anorexia nervosa can be related to traditional cultural norms of femininity and expectations of beautification. For each of these clients, cultural factors were an important place in the multi-dimensional problem of an eating disorder.

By: Patricia Romney Ph.D

Working with Cultural Differences in Therapy

As the above cases illustrate, anorexia and bulimia are also problems among many young women of color. Eating disorders of all types exist among people of color. Therapists must attend to the full spectrum. This means noticing obesity as well as anorexia and asking questions about feelings and attitudes about weight. It is helpful to formulate questions that reveal information about cultural norms around food and weight. Therapists can ask, "Is weight a concern for you?" "What are the weight norms in your community/ethnic group?" "In what ways are your concerns about weight or body image (or lack of concern) similar to and different from white women, or from the the dominant groups in society?"

If the therapist is white, these questions may need to be rephrased and repeated as the therapeutic alliance develops. It can be difficult to discuss the concerns with women of another racial or ethnic group, particularly when the norms around food and weight are so different.

I have yet to meet any woman of color who did not have some concern about food intake and body image. Yet there are some differences between the weight concerns of white women and women of color. Healing for black women and other women of color must be culturally and emotionally in harmony with one's environment. To facilitate healing, therapists should explore the role of culture. In addition, therapists must be cognisant of the vast international variety among racial groups. The culture of people of West Indian heritage, for example, differs from African American culture.

This awareness is also extremely important in working with vastly different cultures that comprise the so-called Asian peoples. The impact of racism and class oppression must be uncovered as well. A full understanding of the personal and cultural meanings of weight and food will facilitate the process of healing among women of color suffering from eating disorders.

By: Patricia Romney Ph.D

Black Women and Body Image: African American Females Talk Eating Disorders and Related Issues

African-American women are usually left out of the debate about body image and eating disorders because they are reputed to not have those worries. Anorexia, bulimia and binge eating allegedly don't exit for black women. Of course this is untrue.

Black women are usually left out of the debate about body image and eating disorders because they are reputed to not have those worries.

African-American women are "supposed" to be self-confident and appreciate their curves; they are to be honored for their thick legs and ample butts. But is that really the case?

Anyana Byrd and Akiba Solomon have put together a provocative and poignant collection essays from Black women who have something to say about stereotypes and how their bodies have affected their lives.

Each story is completely unique and told by voices both resilient and intelligent. The Editor's themselves include their own stories and share in the frustration, power, wittiness and insight of these remarkable women.

By: eatingdisorders.suite101.com