Right now, there is a relentless media storm surrounding celebrity bodies. We see an influx of people claiming to have deep “concern” over bodies that have rapidly become much smaller. The public debates whether we should stop talking about these women to protect their body image, but we have to ask the uncomfortable question: If these exact same celebrities had gained weight instead of losing it, would they be given that same grace?
Historically, the answer is no. When the scale climbs, society rarely offers understanding. Instead, we ask why they “let themselves go,” feeling entirely entitled to dissect, mock, and judge their bodies. We never offer grace for weight gain, yet we constantly reinforce how wonderful it is when the scale falls — until it reaches a certain point, of course. We assume we know a person’s health, habits, and lifestyle based purely on their outward appearance.
This blog is for the people watching this unfold who feel utterly defeated. It is for those who are struggling in silence because the world doesn’t believe them, or worse, is congratulating them on their disordered behaviors. If you feel conflicted by this societal double standard, or if you feel so alone that you think you aren’t “sick enough” to deserve help — this is for you.
The Emaciation Standard and the Science of Starvation
When society obsessively focuses on emaciated celebrity bodies, it reinforces a deadly stereotype: that an eating disorder has a specific “look.”
The reality is staggeringly different. According to the National Association of Anorexia Nervosa and Associated Disorders (ANAD), fewer than 6% of people with eating disorders are medically diagnosed as “underweight.” That leaves roughly 94% of people struggling who do not fit the stereotypical image of an eating disorder.
There is a dangerous, pervasive misconception that if you have more fat on your body, you can go longer without food safely. This is biologically false. Adipose tissue (fat) does not store critical nutrients like essential amino acids. When you severely restrict food, your body goes into a state of chronic malnutrition. To survive and get those missing nutrients, your body will cannibalize its own muscle tissue—and it is indiscriminate about which muscles it targets. This includes your heart. You can starve to death, experience dangerous drops in heart rate, and be severely malnourished at absolutely any size.
I once worked with a client who did not have the stereotypical eating disorder “look,” but it quickly became apparent she was severely under-eating. When I gently brought this up, she admitted she often felt malnourished, but because of her appearance, she believed it couldn’t be true. This perfectly illustrates two tragic societal flaws:
- We falsely believe a person is always responsible for their size, viewing it as a personal choice rather than a biological trait like height or hair color.
- Clients internalize weight stigma. They cannot fathom that they have a problem with food beyond their body size, which usually convinces them they must eat less, even when their bodies are actively starving.
The Weaponization of Health and the Modern Morality of Size
A recent sociological shift has pushed people to identify themselves primarily by their bodies rather than by their communities, religions, or professions. We have bought into the idea that “we are our bodies,” which creates immense pressure to make our bodies socially acceptable.
This dynamic is brilliantly highlighted in Aksel Tjora’s research, “From fatness to badness: The modern morality of obesity,” which explores how society dresses up moral judgment as “concern for health.” By judging bodies, we are ultimately deciding a person’s worth, discipline, and lifestyle purely by their appearance. This framework is inherently unfair; it completely ignores the social determinants of health, assumes we all have the exact same genetics and resources, and blames people for their bodies without an ounce of curiosity.
Because beauty standards are constantly changing, we are perpetually set up for failure. When a body doesn’t fit the mold, it is viewed as inferior. This increases weight stigma, driving up internalized shame, and sparking a massive uptick in disordered behaviors as people desperately try to secure their place in the “tribe” for primal survival and acceptance.
The Truth About Eating Disorders in Larger Bodies
Eating disorders do not have a look. We have moved far past the outdated idea that eating disorders only affect teenage girls “looking for attention.” In fact, clinical research shows that people in larger bodies actually have a higher risk of developing disordered eating behaviors, and the higher the BMI (a deeply flawed metric to begin with), the higher the prevalence of these behaviors.
If you have been told your entire life that you eat too much, move too little, and that your body is a problem to be solved, you are going to be desperate to fix it. I have had many clients tell me their eating disorder started right in a doctor’s office — triggered by a clinician telling them to eat less without ever once asking what their diet or relationship with food actually looked like. I have yet to meet a single client in a larger body who hasn’t been told their body is wrong, and who hasn’t resorted to disordered behaviors to try to fix it.
Stigma drives eating disorder behaviors, and eventually, those behaviors take on a life of their own. When these clients finally seek care, they struggle to believe they actually need to eat more, eat regularly, and that their bodies are acceptable as they are. Because they do not “look sick,” they believe they are the problem.
The Path Forward: Dignified Care
Everyone deserves dignified, weight-inclusive care. We need to stop talking about weight as a moral obligation and a personal failing, and instead see it for what it is: a genetically programmed trait. We aren’t out here searching for “cures” for our height. We certainly do not need another fad diet to “fix” our weight.
If you are living in a larger body, the road to recovery can feel daunting. True body acceptance or neutrality might feel incredibly far away right now, but you do not have to navigate it alone. Healing requires a safe space where you are seen, heard, and believed — a basic dignity that many people in larger bodies have been denied.
When you start eating a normal, nourishing diet, the improvement in mental and physical health is profound. Your body has only ever wanted to keep you alive. It is not your body’s fault that society acts this way. It has never been your body’s fault.
If this resonates and you feel seen, please know you are not alone. At Embodied Core Nutrition, we see you, and we can help you navigate this difficult recovery. You do not need to look a specific way before you deserve care. Through our 1:1 Personalized Eating Disorder Treatment, we use functional nutrition to ensure your body is working well and embodied principles to help your nervous system find safety and compassion. We work together to bring curiosity, rather than judgment, to your experiences with food so you can build the resilience to stand strong in your recovery, regardless of the external climate.
If you’re looking for support, schedule a free 20-minute consultation with us so we can discuss your individual needs and connect you to the help you need and deserve.
References
Casper, R. C. (2020). Might Starvation-Induced Adaptations in Muscle Mass, Muscle Morphology and Muscle Function Contribute to the Increased Urge for Movement and to Spontaneous Physical Activity in Anorexia Nervosa?. Nutrients, 12, 2060. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu12072060 Cited by: 28
Forney, K. J., Brown, T. A., Holland‐Carter, L. A., Kennedy, G. A., & Keel, P. K. (2017). Defining “significant weight loss” in atypical anorexia nervosa. International Journal of Eating Disorders, 50, 952–962. https://doi.org/10.1002/eat.22717 Cited by: 110
Harrop, E. N., Mensinger, J. L., Moore, M., & Lindhorst, T. (2021). Restrictive eating disorders in higher weight persons: A systematic review of atypical anorexia nervosa prevalence and consecutive admission literature. International Journal of Eating Disorders, 54, 1328–1357. https://doi.org/10.1002/eat.23519 Cited by: 207