1 In 10 US Women Are Delaying Motherhood Due To Eating Disorders, Reveals Survey. (Image credits: iStock)
A new survey from Equip, which happens to be a virtual eating disorder treatment platform, has revealed that one in 10 women are delaying trying to conceive due to their disordered eating. It is believed that nearly 30 million Americans will have an eating disorder in their lifetime. Also, women are twice as likely to develop eating disorders.
Now, a third of women with a history of an eating disorder have said that they fear how pregnancy may affect them. Many reported feeling scared about unwarranted comments about their body. The findings show that 61% of women surveyed, who currently have an eating disorder, say it was hard to support their bodies during pregnancy.
Dori Steinberg, vice president of research at Equip, while speaking to media said, “This topic remains largely unspoken because of the internal conflict women face when choosing between embracing motherhood and adhering to diet culture’s influence. The overlap between diet culture and the idealization of perfect motherhood further complicates this tension.”
35% of respondents say they were advised to lose weight while trying to conceive, which led to a vast majority saying they found the advice triggering.
The survey also highlights how eating disorders may affect women’s fertility. Nearly 50% of women surveyed who have an eating disorder have experienced infertility compared to the national average of 11%.
What causes eating disorders?
Experts believe all eating disorders are complex conditions and so, despite the exact reason behind them being unknown, various studies suggest that a combination of certain genetic factors, psychological traits, and environmental factors, especially sociocultural factors, might be responsible.
Many experts also believe that eating disorders are mostly caused by those who attempt to cope with overwhelming feelings and painful emotions by limiting their food intake. Physical abuse or sexual assault, for example, can contribute to some people developing an eating disorder.
Emotional health also plays an important role as issues like perfectionism, impulsive behavior, and difficult relationships play a major role in lowering your self-esteem and perceived self-worth.
Ways to prevent or reduce risk of eating disorder
According to experts, if eating disorders run in your family, it is important to be aware of the warning signs to catch the problem early.
Doctors say prompt and effective treatment techniques can break unhealthy eating patterns before they become harder to overcome.Also, you can reduce the risks of an eating disorder by getting treatment for problems like depression, anxiety, and OCD.Eat healthy, seasonal and fresh food and avoid talking about food as “good or bad.”Do not diet, talk about dieting, or make negative comments about your body.Get Latest News Live on Times Now along with Breaking News and Top Headlines from Health and around the world.
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