When you hear the term eating disorder, what image comes to mind? If you’re like most people, you might picture a thin, frail person struggling with food restriction. But here’s the truth: many people battling eating disorders are actually in larger bodies.
It’s a fact that doesn’t get talked about enough. Our society often assumes that weight equals health, leading to the dangerous misconception that only underweight individuals can suffer from eating disorders. In reality, research shows that people in higher weight categories experience eating disorders at significant rates—but they’re often overlooked, misdiagnosed, or even encouraged to continue harmful behaviors.
Breaking the Myth: Who Really Has Eating Disorders?
Eating disorders don’t discriminate based on body size. According to research, up to 30% of individuals seeking weight loss treatment actually meet the criteria for binge eating disorder (BED)—a condition that involves frequent, uncontrollable eating episodes, often followed by shame and distress. In fact, BED is three times more common than anorexia and bulimia combined. (NEDA)
And it’s not just binge eating. Many individuals in larger bodies engage in extreme restriction, purging, and compulsive exercise—all key symptoms of eating disorders—but often go undiagnosed because their weight doesn’t fit the stereotype. Binge Eating Disorder (BED) is driven by a cycle of restriction, deprivation, and loss of control. When the body is underfed—whether through extreme dieting, skipping meals, or rigid food rules—the brain goes into survival mode, increasing hunger hormones and stress levels while lowering fullness signals.
At the same time, dopamine—the brain’s reward chemical—fuels the binge-restrict cycle. Restriction lowers dopamine, creating intense cravings, while bingeing causes a temporary spike, bringing relief followed by guilt and another urge to restrict. This cycle isn’t about willpower; it’s a biological response. But at our core, this push-pull dynamic isn’t just about food—it’s about suppressing our true feelings.
No doctor is going to tell you this, but eating disorders are often a way to cope with emotions we don’t know how to process. Whether it’s stress, trauma, loneliness, or even a deep fear of facing our own needs, food becomes a way to disconnect from what’s really happening inside. Restriction offers a sense of control, bingeing brings temporary relief, and the cycle continues—keeping us from confronting the emotional wounds beneath the surface. Until we acknowledge this, the cycle will repeat, no matter how much willpower we try to muster.
A study published in the Journal of Eating Disorders found that people with higher BMI often experience severe eating disorder symptoms but are less likely to be diagnosed because doctors focus more on their weight than their behaviors. That means many individuals with restrictive eating habits and dangerous food-related behaviors are praised for their “discipline” instead of getting the help they need.
The Silent Toll: Stress, Hormones, and Health Risks
When eating disorders go untreated in higher-weight individuals, the consequences go beyond emotional distress. Chronic stress, metabolic disruption, and hormonal imbalances take a serious toll on the body.
💡 Cortisol Overload: Constant stress from food-related anxiety can send cortisol levels through the roof. Elevated cortisol is linked to increased fat storage, insulin resistance, and even depression—making it even harder for someone to feel at peace in their body.
💡 Hormonal Chaos: Disordered eating disrupts critical hormones like leptin and ghrelin, which regulate hunger and fullness. This can lead to a cycle where the body constantly feels deprived, triggering intense cravings and further distress.
💡 Increased Health Risks: People with BED are at a higher risk for heart disease, type 2 diabetes, and high blood pressure—not simply because of their weight, but due to the repeated cycles of bingeing, restricting, and emotional distress. (Harvard Health)
Why So Many People Suffer in Silence
One of the biggest challenges? Stigma.
People in larger bodies with eating disorders often face medical fatphobia, meaning they’re dismissed by healthcare providers who assume weight loss should be their only goal. This creates a dangerous cycle:
🚨 A person struggling with bingeing or restriction seeks help.
🚨 A doctor tells them to lose weight, reinforcing the idea that their struggle is just about willpower.
🚨 The person internalizes guilt and shame, leading to more disordered eating behaviors.
But weight is not the root issue. The true issue is often unprocessed emotions, unmet needs, and coping mechanisms that feel impossible to break. Instead of focusing on weight, the conversation needs to shift to behavior and well-being. Someone can be healthy at a variety of sizes, just as someone can have an eating disorder at any weight.
Shifting the Conversation: What Needs to Change
It’s time to break the stereotype that eating disorders only affect thin people. Here’s what we can do:
✅ Recognize that eating disorders come in all sizes. Just because someone is in a larger body doesn’t mean they have a healthy relationship with food—or that their struggles with disordered eating should be overlooked.
✅ Change how we talk about health. Stop equating weight with worth or discipline. Instead, focus on mindful eating, mental well-being, and balanced relationships with food.
✅ Get honest about emotions. The cycle of bingeing and restricting isn’t about food—it’s about what we’re avoiding. Learning to process emotions instead of suppressing them is key to real healing.
✅ Advocate for better medical care. If you or someone you love is struggling, push for providers who understand eating disorders beyond just weight.
Final Thoughts
Eating disorders don’t have a look. They are mental health conditions that deserve proper recognition, treatment, and support—regardless of body size. If you’ve ever felt like your struggles with food weren’t “bad enough” because of your weight, know this: your experience is valid, and you deserve help.
Most importantly, know that this isn’t about just eating more or eating less. It’s about facing what’s really happening beneath the surface. The more we suppress our true emotions, the stronger the cycle becomes. Healing isn’t about control—it’s about learning to truly feel, process, and nourish ourselves in every sense of the word.
If this topic resonates with you, share this post and help challenge the stigma. And if you or someone you know is struggling with food and body image, don’t be afraid to reach out for support. 💙
📖 Read more & get resources here: https://www.nationaleatingdisorders.org/
