Could the Kardashians’ Shrinking Bodies Drive Eating Disorders?

What are the causes of eating disorders?

What I tell people is that brain chemistry and genetics load the gun, so if a family member has had an eating disorder or if there is another mental illness in the family. But what pulls the trigger is things like bullying, trauma, how you were raised, other social or psychological factors, culture, and the media. There is an ideal of Western society that leads to weight stigma and shame.

Are the Kardashians contributing to these triggers?

The Kardashians are part of the culture, that Hollywood ideal that has been on the main stage for a long time, and they are some of the most followed people on Instagram (Kim Kardashian has 331 million followers). People see them on their TV shows, in their photoshopped photos, with their slimming and slimming products, and they think that’s something they should do too. There is this vision if you want to be successful, if you want to be accepted, you have to see yourself like this.

Some images of Kardashian have been described as “anorexic”. What is anorexia nervosa and why are eating disorders so deadly?

Anorexia nervosa is only one of the few types of eating disorders. It is classified by a restriction of food intake or nutrition. There are subtypes of anorexia that involve purging (excessive exercise, laxative use, binge eating, and purging).

Eating disorders in general are the second deadliest mental illness recently surpassed by opioid overdoses. They are deadly due to medical complications caused by lack of nutrition (electrolyte imbalance, heart attacks) and suicidal tendencies: the suicide rate is very high among people with eating disorders.

Kim Kardashian publicly said she lost 16 pounds in three weeks so she could wear a Marilyn Monroe dress to an event. The comment caused some outrage. Can you talk about why?

It is not healthy. I know she officially said, ‘If I did this in an unhealthy way, I wouldn’t be talking about it. But I work in this field of eating disorders and eating disorders. I work on a medical campus. Losing that amount of weight in that amount of time is not a healthy way to go. It is dangerous mentally, emotionally and physically. You risk by doing that not only affecting your organs, including your heart, but also your brain. Because when you lose weight like that, your brain becomes obsessive, and you can really go down that slippery slope into more than one eating disorder.

Are girls and younger women at higher risk of developing an eating disorder?

It used to be seen as a disease of white, middle-class girls, but what has been shown in the last 10 years is that eating disorders can affect everyone, regardless of gender, race, ethnicity, socioeconomic status, sexual orientation, or gender identity. . Men are less likely to be diagnosed, and people of color are less likely than white people to be asked about eating disorders and to be diagnosed and treated for eating disorders.

What is your reaction to the promotions of slimming and body shaping products from the Kardashians?

I think it’s really unhealthy. I know that Jameela Jamil from the TV sitcom ‘The Good Place’ has spoken out a lot in public against the Kardashians, because they are not using their influence for good. They are using it to sell waist trainers and talk about losing weight. We need to work on accepting the way we see ourselves and respecting our own bodies.

Khloe Kardashian told a reporter that working out was her “new obsession.” Can the amount of exercise a person gets in itself be a form of eating disorder?

definitely can. When we move our bodies, we get that endorphin rush, and we feel great, so there’s an addictive quality to exercise. That too can become obsessive and compulsive, especially related to an eating disorder.

However, exercise is good for us. How do we know if he has become obsessive?

It’s about keeping your balance and how rigid you are about your exercise routine. How much are you doing? Is it 90% of your life and you are not leaving room for other things? Is there stiffness, like when I see people who get very upset or don’t eat or can’t get on with their day unless they get X amount of exercise?

There’s a subreddit called Instagram Reality that serves as a kind of watchdog forum, pointing out what’s real and what’s not in online photos (face and body tuning, bad photoshop, etc.). Is a forum like this useful or harmful?

I think it’s good for us to be critical viewers and consumers of social media. It’s important to point it out because some people can really be influenced by it. But I think there’s also a tendency to shame people and tear people apart for doing these things. They have a platform that they need to use responsibly. I think we can show or point things out, but in a productive conversation, not in an embarrassing and mean way.

How can parents or friends help prevent someone from falling down the rabbit hole of eating disorders?

Approach them in a compassionate and nonjudgmental way. You want to collect data and also realize and accept that you may not go far enough to take action after a conversation. You want to listen with empathy, stay calm, and not blame. Shame and isolation drive eating disorders or any addiction. You want to use ‘I’ statements like, ‘When I see you throw your lunch away, I feel worried and sad.’ Instead of, ‘You bothered me when you finished your lunch; You’re worrying me.

And finally, you want to encourage professional help, correct?

Yes. A therapist will work with them on their self-image, self-esteem, self-confidence, and self-esteem. Many times, they are projecting feelings such as sadness, anger, fear, and anxiety onto their bodies, because it is easier to focus on their bodies. So yeah, helping someone get into therapy is definitely the most important piece.

(Note: This interview was edited for brevity and clarity.)