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Review
. 2019 May;32(3):242-247.
doi: 10.1097/YCO.0000000000000497.

The impact of urbanization on risk for eating disorders

Sasha Gorrell  1 , Claire Trainor  1 , Daniel Le Grange  1   2
Affiliations
Review

The impact of urbanization on risk for eating disorders

Sasha Gorrell et al. Curr Opin Psychiatry. 2019 May.

Abstract

Purpose of review: Urbanization has broadly been implicated in negatively impacting mental health, including risk for disordered eating and eating disorders. Understanding the specific mechanisms that contribute to risk for maladaptive eating behavior in the context of urbanization is essential to improving public health policy and guiding future clinical, research, and prevention efforts.

Recent findings: This review of recent investigation related to the impact of urbanization on eating disease highlights specific risk factors for eating disorders, including acculturation to Western standards of beauty and food resources with associated body weight and body image concern.

Summary: Recommendations for clinical and research endeavors include improved specificity in defining urbanization, as well as increased sensitivity within community-based assessment of cultural and demographic variables that may impact eating behavior and risk for eating disorders.

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Conflict of interest statement

Conflicts of interest

Dr Le Grange is Co-Director of the Training Institute for Child and Adolescent Eating Disorders, LLC, and receives royalties from Routledge and Guilford Press. Dr. Gorrell and Ms. Trainor have no conflicts of interest.

References

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    2. This article highlights the influence of urbanization on broad mental health outcomes, and emphasizes the importance of cultural shifts when considering prevalence, treatment, and prevention of mental illness.

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