Determinants Of Perceptions Of Eating Disorder Symptoms

Eating disorders (EDs) are the second-leading cause of death among psychiatric illnesses, following only opioid use [1]. Eating disorders are notoriously difficult to treat [2]. Unfortunately, access to proper and adequate treatment continues to be a problem for those who are struggling with eating disorders [3]. Lack of access holds true particularly for those who live in larger bodies, as they face weight stigma from their primary care providers and treatment team. Although a stereotype exists that people with eating disorders mostly struggle with low weight Anorexia Nervosa (AN), most people with eating disorders live in bodies of normal to higher weight [4]. Those living in larger bodies face weight stigma in multiple areas of their life every day, and research linking weight stigma and perceptions about which bodies can struggle with an eating disorder is scarce. Indeed, Atypical Anorexia Nervosa (AAN), a diagnosis in the OSFED category that fits the DSM-5 criteria for AN in all ways except for the low BMI criteria, has only begun to be researched (Allison & Lundgren, 2018; Walsh et al., 2016).