Journal of Obesity & Eating Disorders

Weight and Race Bias as a Risk Factors to the Under-Assessment and Under-Treatment of Eating Disorders: A Case Example

In the United States alone, 30 million people are suffering from some form of an eating disorder, globally the number increases to 70 million people. Eating disorders are the deadliest mental health disorder, killing over 10,000 people annually. Even with the high prevalence of eating disorders in this country, only 6% of people who struggle with eating disorders are diagnosed by a medical professional leaving many to remain untreated. There are many left untreated due to weight and racial bias. Mental health treatment and interventions are lifesaving, but only if we are recognizing the seriousness and totality of that individual’s struggles. We need to break racial stereotypes in research because research is what are informing or misinforming the very people tasked to support and treat individuals with serious and sometimes life-threatening mental health issues.

Author(s): Stacie Leev Woodland

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