250 Eating Disorders
sanctioned by the social meanings attached to size and food. As Gordon
(2000) stated, becoming thin and food avoidance are the “vocabulary of
discomfort” (p. 214) for women at this time. In line with this, Ogden (2007)
has argued that the meaning of food and the meaning of body size provide
a socially sanctioned pathway through which people express their issues
that arise from living in a contemporary society.
In summary, a sociocultural model of eating disorders places the
individual suffering from either anorexia or bulimia within their social con-
text, with a particular emphasis on the conflicts arising from their envi-
ronment. In particular, it argues that individuals experience a series of
conflicts concerned with gender, identity, and social space which generate
a sense of being out of control. It also indicates that these conflicts are
expressed through the socially sanctioned pathway offered by the mean-
ings of thinness and food.
Problems with a sociocultural model
A sociocultural model of eating disorders makes intuitive sense, as it can
explain why most individuals with eating disorders are female and why onset
is usually during late adolescence. It can also explain why eating disorders
have become more common over recent years and why they remain a Western
problem. There are some problems with this analysis.
- Most women in the West are confronted with conflicts concerning
their gender, identity, and social space. - They are also exposed to images of thin women and have a complex
relationship with food. - A sociocultural model can explain why so many women diet (see
chapter 7). - It can also explain why so many women are dissatisfied with their body
shape (see chapter 6). - The main problem with this analysis is that it cannot explain why only
a minority of women develop eating disorders.
Significant events as a triggerSome researchers have explored the extent to which specific life events can
act as triggers to the development of an eating disorder. The two most
commonly studied life events which will be considered here are childhood
sexual abuse and parental loss.