The Psychology of Eating: From Healthy to Disordered Behavior

Eating Disorders 215

into the mirror. She is always a woman. She is young, usually white, and
considered to be from a higher class background (see figure 10.1). Research
has explored the extent to which this stereotype holds true.

Gender

The vast majority of sufferers of anorexia nervosa are women. This has been
the experience of clinicians since anorexics started to be admitted into

Figure 10.1 A common portrayal of an anorexic patient.