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Eating disorders in the Far East.
1Department of Mental Hygiene, Johns Hopkins University School of Hygiene and Public Health, 624 N. Broadway, Baltimore, MD 21205-1099, USA.
Eating and Weight Disorders : EWD
|February 24, 2001
Summary
Eating disorder prevalence is lower in Asian populations compared to Western countries. However, body dissatisfaction and dieting behaviors are similar, suggesting cultural shifts influence these conditions.
Area of Science:
- Psychiatry
- Cultural Psychiatry
- Global Health
Background:
- Eating disorders (EDs) are often perceived as Western culture-bound syndromes.
- Limited research exists on ED prevalence in Asian populations.
Purpose of the Study:
- To determine the prevalence of EDs in Asian populations.
- To identify characteristics differentiating Asian EDs from Western counterparts.
Main Methods:
- Literature search of Medline, Psychinfo, and Dissertation Abstracts (1966-1999).
- Manual searching of textbooks, reviews, and reference lists.
Main Results:
- Studies predominantly from Japan and China; absent in several Southeast Asian nations.
- Lower prevalence rates for anorexia nervosa (AN) and bulimia nervosa (BN) in Japan and China compared to the West.
- Similar rates of body dissatisfaction and dieting behaviors observed in Asian populations compared to Western countries.
Conclusions:
- EDs in Asia may represent a 'culture-change syndrome' rather than a solely Western phenomenon.
- Further research is needed to understand the unique sociocultural and developmental risk factors in Asian populations.