Eating disorders in the media

Although the media is increasingly aware of the implications of having a mental health disorder, it remains crucial to emphasize the importance of how this information is handled—the words, the images, and the perspective . This is especially relevant given the significant social impact of the media and, by extension, the entire cultural industry (film, television, theater, etc.) and advertising. Changing the way we view public spaces that shape our social consciousness is a key step in combating stigma.

Although it is a challenging task, it is possible to support communication, production, and advertising companies in training on this topic so they can produce more ethical content. Social media deserves separate analysis, as it is a field where raising awareness and taking action is more difficult because these are public spaces with millions of people, each acting as a message broadcaster, and over whom it is almost impossible to exert influence.

The treatment of mental health in the media

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The stigma surrounding mental health is widespread, but some disorders receive greater public attention, leading to misconceptions and more sensationalist or biased media coverage. Eating disorders (EDs) are one such example, having gained significant prominence in recent years due to their increasing prevalence among a younger population.

The way in which this type of disorder, so often mistakenly identified with extreme thinness, is addressed leads to other cultural and social trends that do nothing to help prevention: confusing health with beauty, the cult of the body, aesthetic pressure at a very young age, etc. Even unintentionally, all public social spaces are permeated by this culture of valuing people based on their physical appearance, putting even more pressure on those at risk of developing an eating disorder.

So the fight against this image-driven culture is titanic, global, and involves every single sphere of society. We can, however, actively promote greater awareness about how to communicate, choosing words, approaches, images... We understand that the pace at which information is disseminated in the media and the pressure of clickbait do not encourage reflection or second thoughts, but this does not absolve the media of their intrinsic responsibility to produce truthful, pluralistic, ethical, and socially responsible information.

Recommendations for discussing eating disorders in the media

In general, when we talk about mental health, one of the most relevant recommendations for the media is to try not to reduce these disorders to a dance of figures that, sometimes, do not correctly reflect reality; it is important to contextualize the data that is offered.

While the assessments and opinions of healthcare professionals are relevant and necessary, it is recommended to give greater weight to the testimonials of people with lived experience in mental health , who can share their experiences when they are already in a recovery phase. Empowering people is essential to avoid trivializing the information and to convey the hopeful message that recovery is possible.

We find that there are a number of preconceived ideas about eating disorders that are frequently reflected in the media and that must be avoided, as the recently updated Guia d'Estil per a Mitjans de Comunicació de Obertament reminds us:

• Understanding that an eating disorder is a symptom of distress—a way of coping with something that isn't going well in our lives or aspects we're not comfortable with—is crucial. The cause of these disorders is multifactorial , and treatment requires comprehensive care from an interdisciplinary team.
• Do not label people. They are people with an eating disorder, who live with an eating disorder, or who have an eating disorder, but in no case should you refer to them as 'anorexic or bulimic'.
• Do not blame the person with an eating disorder. Eating disorders are not developed by choice.
• Eating disorders should not be reduced to a phenomenon that affects adolescents or young women ; they can affect women of any age and men of any age.
• Eating disorders are not a lifestyle choice ; they are mental health conditions. People with eating disorders are not trying to achieve a specific physical appearance or imitate a celebrity.
• Avoid focusing media coverage on food or physical appearance ; eating disorders are a psychological and sociocultural disorder, not just a physical one. People of normal weight can also have an eating disorder.
• Besides anorexia and bulimia nervosa, there are also muscle dysmorphia (vigorexia), orthorexia (an irrational obsession with healthy eating), and binge eating disorder, for example. Extreme thinness, therefore, is not a defining characteristic of an eating disorder.

Regarding the images accompanying this information, the recommendation is always to show images of public or private spaces within the person's normal environment, reinforcing the idea of recovery . It's important to remember that most people with mental health problems are not hospitalized. Likewise, images that convey despair, darkness, or social isolation should be avoided, as these perpetuate negative stereotypes. In the case of eating disorders, avoid illustrating information with images of extremely thin people, food in general, plates of food, scales, or measuring tapes, as these only reinforce the oversimplification of the problem.

The media has its own style guides and ethical codes that protect aspects such as the veracity of information, reliable sources, respect for privacy, and the avoidance of promoting, for example, violent or racist behavior. In this regard, it is important to be vigilant and not become complacent when faced with information that could end up promoting unhealthy behaviors, such as weight-loss tricks, anything related to the so-called "summer body" trend, mentions of medications for losing weight or altering the body, and so on.