Disordered Eating Among Asian/Asian American Women

Abstract

Sociocultural models of eating disorders emphasize the role of internalization of media standards of beauty in eating pathology but rarely examine (a) how racial and cultural factors may be related to women of color's tendency to endorse Western media beauty ideals or (b) these women's risk of developing body dissatisfaction and disordered eating issues. This study of Asian/Asian American women (N = 587) investigated the roles of perceived racial discrimination, ethnic identity, and racial/ethnic teasing in relation to self-esteem, internalization of Western standards of beauty, and body dissatisfaction as predictors of disordered eating in a structural model. Results indicated that, when controlling for body mass, perceived racial discrimination, ethnic identity, and racial/ethnic teasing significantly predicted disordered eating and its correlate variables through direct and indirect links. The findings suggest racial and cultural factors may complement sociocultural models in understanding disordered eating issues among Asian/ Asian American women.

Discrepancies in East Asians’ perceived actual and ideal phenotypic facial features.

“…Given that racial discrimination makes phenotype-based stigma salient (Maddox, 2004), it is possible that reminders of racial discrimination may enhance any phenotypic actual-ideal discrepancies that might emerge for East Asians. Supporting this notion, perceived racial discrimination has been associated with Asians peoples' body dissatisfaction (Cheng, 2014;Iyer & Haslam, 2003;Reddy & Crowther, 2007), along with greater intentions in East Asians to undergo cosmetic procedures to remove phenotypic racial markers (Kaw, 1993). In turn, we propose that reminders of the direct antithesis of racial discriminationracial acceptancemay ameliorate such actualideal discrepancies in East Asians.…”

“…The present sample comprised both East Asian Americans and East Asians residing in the U.S. Past work has also collapsed these two groups together, arguing that the experiences EAST ASIAN ACTUAL-IDEAL DISCREPANCIES 16 of these groups in the U.S. cultural context are similar (e.g., Cheng, 2014;Chin Evans & McConnell, 2010;Hall, 1995;Frederick et al, 2016). Nevertheless, it would be important for future research in this area to collect larger samples of East Asian Americans and East Asians, to more accurately ascertain the the actual-ideal discrepancy for each of these groups separately.…”

“…Given the entire sample attended a majority-White American university, it would be beneficial to examine differences in the magnitude of the actual-ideal discrepancy between East Asian people residing in the U.S. and those residing in East Asia, to rule out the possibility that participants were conforming to a situational White norm. There would be no theoretical reason to suspect drastic differences, however; scholars have suggested that the "White ideal" is prevalent and internalized by people of East Asian descent globally (Cheng, 2014;David & Nadal, 2013;David & Okazaki, 2006;Hall, 1995;Jung & Lee, 2006;Murray & Price, 2011).…”

From opposition to alliance: Asian Westerners’ drive to fit in to a White society

“…For racial minorities, who possess phenotypic features that don't conform to this ideal, adherence to the White ideal can be damaging (Cheng, 2014;Iyer & Haslam, 2003;Reddy & Crowther, 2007). The present studies found evidence for an actual-ideal discrepancy in how racial minorities perceived themselves, phenotypically.…”

“…Supporting this notion, experiences of racial teasing and perceived racial discrimination are associated with racial minorities' internalization of general media standards of beauty (Cheng, 2014), and body dissatisfaction (Iyer & Haslam, 2003;Reddy & Crowther, 2007).…”