Am I What I Eat? Social Comparison and Eating Disorders
As social creatures, humans are naturally influenced by the opinions and behaviors of their peers. By observing what others are doing and thinking, we are able to establish a definition of normalcy and understand the behavioral codes specific to certain environments. This could be a quick text to your friend asking her what she’s wearing to an event you’re both attending this weekend, or a call to a colleague or classmate to find out whether they’re prepared for an upcoming presentation. This very natural instinct illustrates what has been referred to as Social Comparison theory: we as humans feel the need to assess our own characteristics and abilities, which we do by comparing ourselves to others. When we perceive an unfavorable difference between ourselves and others, we become motivated to adjust ourselves to minimize this difference (Hamel, 1261).
Body related social comparison has been found to be a significant predictor of eating disorder symptoms, where these comparisons lead to the development of. The prevalent role of social comparison is most commonly found in eating disorders with symptoms related to body image, like anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa.
Social Comparison and Body Image
It has been theorized that eating disorder symptoms could be a product of unhealthy social comparisons about physical appearance, especially among teenage females (Hamel, 1261). A study by Hamel et al. (2002) found that women who frequently compare their appearance to others are significantly more likely to experience poor body image and, in turn, engage in unhealthy behaviors to lose weight (1261).
The profound impact of social comparison extends beyond pervasive media portrayals of the “ideal body type.” While media images do in fact play a role in influencing these ideals, young women are also heavily influenced by the comparisons they make with peers. For example, a study found that teenage girls are more likely to report disordered eating behaviors if they attend schools with a higher proportion of underweight female peers (Hamel, 1261). Therefore, the thin body ideals seen in the media can also be reinforced by young women’s social environments, where social comparison can place them at greater risk for developing eating disorder symptoms. This highlights the insidious nature of social comparison: if what is “normal” is thin, some young women may feel the need to adjust their appearance and behavior accordingly. As one young woman I interviewed shared, “In high school, everyone I was friends with was so much smaller than me, and it made me so insecure about my own body. It felt like I had to work so much harder than them to look like that… I guess it was more than just wanting to look good, it was more like I wanted to fit in better with the group by being as skinny as them.” Another young woman I had interviewed provided an anecdote from her own high school experience: “At my boarding school, a lot of girls would make those accounts on Instagram to sell clothes they didn’t want anymore, and would never sell a single item that was larger than a size 4… So I thought I had to be a size 4 or less.” These personal accounts from young women illustrate the impact that social comparison has on body image. Whether it’s someone feeling the need to look similar to their friends or believing that they must be the same clothing size as their peers, the pressure to conform to certain standards of “normalcy” can lead to significant distress and poor body image.
Social Comparison and Eating Behaviors
Social comparison is not only capable of influencing body image, but can also shape perceptions of food and eating habits. Research has shown that people often compare what they eat to what others are eating. These comparisons then guide people in determining how much they should eat, whether amounts of food are “normal” or excessive, how they should feel about what they ate (Polivy, 1). Even when eating alone, people may rely on perceived social norms to gauge “appropriate” food intake (Polivy, 2), which can lead to feelings of inadequacy or overeating if their eating habits don’t align with those of their peers or larger scale societal expectations. For example, if someone sees their coworkers opting for salads while they chose a burger, they might feel shame about their choice, leading them to adjust their eating habits in future social situations. Or if someone’s friends constantly talk about their dieting and strict exercise regimens, they may feel particularly inclined to mirror these behaviors because that’s just what everyone else seems to be doing. Similarly, a study found that the strongest predictor of weight loss behavior in young women is the weight loss behavior of their peers.
When disordered eating habits are widespread and normalized, it almost becomes contagious. As expressed by the first young woman I interviewed, “Pretty early into starting high school, I learned that girls at my school never actually used the lunch period to eat lunch. I would hang out with my friends and we would sit at a table and talk or walk somewhere off-campus, but nobody ever really ate. Lunch period was more of a social thing than anything else, and I would have felt weird if I was the only one eating, so everyone would just end up skipping the meal together.” When I asked her if food was ever addressed during those times, she answered, “No, we never actually talked about it. It was almost just like an unwritten rule that nobody wanted lunch or was hungry, so I acted the same.” This example explains how easily unwritten social rules can lead to widespread disordered behaviors and unhealthy habits, driven by a desire to avoid standing out and behaving in a way that is contrary to peers.
Coping with Social Comparison Related to Eating and Body Image: Tips and Tricks
Reflect on the problem: Take time to reflect on how social comparisons have impacted you and how they make you feel. Acknowledge these emotions and validate their ability to influence your self-esteem and behavior.
Identify and limit exposure to triggers: Set boundaries about conversation topics and activities that center around disordered behaviors. Block or mute social media accounts that trigger unhealthy comparisons.
Practice radical acceptance: Care for your body the way it cares for you. Remind yourself that your body deserves to be nourished, loved, and honored. A healthy body is a beautiful body, and “healthy” doesn’t have one size or a specific look. How boring would it be if we all looked the same? Instead embrace body diversity and appreciate your uniqueness.
Get in touch with what your body wants: Practice intuitive eating by paying attention to your hunger and fullness cues and making food choices that satisfy you. Trust in the belief that all food is good food when enjoyed with balance, moderation, and variety
Seek support: Social comparison is not a problem that can be tackled in one day, and it could be very difficult to combat alone. Share your emotions and experiences with someone you trust, a therapist or another mental health professional. Verbalizing and naming your thoughts can help you gain perspective and support.
Written by Kyra Torres, intern with Cypress Wellness Collective
If you are seeking eating disorder treatment or mental health therapy for you or your adolescent, Cypress Wellness Collective can help. Cypress Wellness Collective is located in the San Francisco Bay Area where they specialize in Family Based Treatment (FBT), therapy, and nutrition counseling for teens, adults, and families going through eating disorder recovery. They offer in person and virtual appointments throughout all of California. Call today for your free consultation to see if Cypress Wellness Collective is right for you!
References:
Anonymous (July, 2024). Interview of past client(s) from a treatment center to discuss the impact of social comparison on body image and eating disorders.
Hamel, A. E., Zaitsoff, S. L., Taylor, A., Menna, R., & Le Grange, D. (2012). Body-related social comparison and disordered eating among adolescent females with an eating disorder, depressive disorder, and healthy controls. Nutrients, 4(9), 1260–1272.
Polivy J. (2017). What's that you're eating? Social comparison and eating behavior. Journal of eating disorders, 5, 18.