Why disordered eating often stays hidden
Mar 6th 2026
New research connects social media, diet culture and family comments to disordered eating and explains why people often hide symptoms or face barriers to care.
- About 30 million Americans will experience some form of disordered eating in their lifetime, and these conditions affect about twice as many women as men, according to the National Eating Disorders Association.
- Northeastern researcher Ashleigh Shields interviewed 15 people with histories of disordered eating to study how communication and culture contribute to the problem.
- Social media trends that glorify certain bodies and promote or demonize specific foods can create shame that fuels disordered eating.
- Diet fads and pressure from friends or family push unhealthy caloric restriction and overexercising, a pattern Shields calls diet culture coercion.
- Offhand comments from family members can have long lasting impact and be used by people to justify ongoing disordered eating.
- Many people do not disclose disordered eating because of shame, fear of attention, or because the behavior has become part of their identity.
- Medical barriers include cases that do not meet formal diagnostic criteria, insurance limits on treatment coverage, and stigma in clinical settings.
- Small changes in clinical communication, such as asking open ended questions about weight, can reduce stigma and help patients feel more empowered.