Exploring the Meaning of Body Image in Culture and Promoting Equitable Research Partnerships

Consistent with past research that appearance plays an important role in gaining social and economic capital in many Asian countries, Monocello et al. report that young urban South Korean men who did not graduate from high-prestige universities may find the pursuit of attractiveness and the ideal body more important than those who graduated from high-prestige universities. It is possible that at least for some Asian men, disordered eating behaviors in response to appearance pressures are simply means to an end, and when success in important life domains is achieved, both appearance pressures and disordered eating behaviors may decrease. The growing number of studies from Asia highlight that there is still much to learn about the development and treatment of eating disorders. Even as the field of eating disorders encourages research from under-represented countries, we must also intentionally develop equitable research partnerships and engage in practices that elevate the voices and perspectives of marginalized scholars.