Study Reveals Eating Disorders Are More Stigmatised Than Depression

University of South Australia researched published their findings in the Journal of Eating Disorders.

Among the different types of eating disorders, the most common are anorexia nervosa, bulimia, and binge-eating disorder. Illustrations by The Epoch Times, Shutterstock

South Australian researchers have discovered that individuals with eating disorders are judged more critically than those suffering from depression, making it harder for people to seek medical help.

The study, published in the Journal of Eating Disorders, interviewed 235 people to garner their views on binge eating, anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, and depression.

Lead author Carlye Aird from the University of South Australia highlighted that, despite one million Australians suffering from an eating disorder, harmful misconceptions persist.

“Our findings show that people with eating disorders face significant social stigma, which can make it even harder for them to seek help,” Aird said.

“Misconceptions that these disorders are self-inflicted or not serious enough to warrant medical attention are incredibly harmful.”

The study found that all three eating disorders were stigmatised more than depression, with binge eating perceived the most harshly due to weight-related stereotypes.

“These findings indicate that individuals with eating disorders, including binge-eating disorder, may be at a higher risk of experiencing the negative implications of stigma when compared to other psychological disorders, such as depression,” the paper stated.

Co-author Stephanie Webb said there was a need to shift the conversation on eating disorders and challenge the myths that they are simply a lifestyle choice or a sign of personal weakness.

“By reducing the stigma, it will encourage people with eating disorders to seek professional help earlier and improve the outcomes, ultimately saving lives in some cases,” she said.

Eating Disorders On the Rise

These findings emerge as eating disorders surge across Australia, placing growing pressure on healthcare systems.

Emergency department visits for eating disorders rose 62 percent between 2018 and 2020.

A 2024 report from Butterfly (pdf) found that 21 percent of Australians surveyed had a lived experience with an eating disorder, up from 17 percent in 2020.

“This was likely due to an increased proportion of those personally identifying as a person living with an eating disorder,” the researchers found.

“There was a significant increase in the proportion of respondents who reported symptoms of eating disorders. More than half (57 percent) had experienced at least one of the symptoms of eating disorders compared to 50 percent in 2020.”

Researchers also found that 57 percent were satisfied with their bodies, but 30 percent were dissatisfied. Men were more content with their bodies than women.

Anorexia nervosa has the highest death rate of all psychological disorders, impacting 30,000 Australians. Meanwhile, 120,000 Australians have bulimia nervosa.

Social media was identified as having the largest impact on the way people felt about how they looked, followed by parents, siblings, friends, advertising, celebrities, and influencers.

A Hidden Crisis Affecting Young Adolescents

Adding to these concerns, a separate 2024 study in the peer-reviewed medical journal Cureus found a strong link between eating disorders and depression.

“The prevalence of depression among patients with EDs was 93.3 percent: 17.9 percent of patients with EDs had mild depression, 21.3 percent had moderate depression, and 54.1 percent had severe depression,” the authors concluded.

Researchers noted the study highlighted the urgent need for interventions targeting both eating disorders and depression.

“There is an alarming finding of the high prevalence of both EDs and depression among young adolescents in elementary school, which requires urgent intervention,” the authors said.

The University of South Australia researchers noted their study was one of only a handful to quantify and compare stigma associated with anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, and binge-eating disorder.

“Through further research, a better understanding around the expression of stigma towards specific eating disorders could inform the development of targeted interventions,” the authors concluded.