Sexual orientation as a factor in risk for binge eating and bulimia nervosa: A review

Abstract

Research on binge eating and bulimia nervosa among lesbians and gay men is reviewed. The thesis that the different value put on physical appearance in these groups may function as a mediator of risk for eating problems is considered. Studies indicate that gay men focus on their appearance more than heterosexual men and may be at higher risk. Lesbians, who are arguably less invested in societal norms of attractiveness, may be at lower risk than heterosexual women, but the findings are mixed. Implications for conceptual models of risk for bulimia nervosa, and for awareness of lesbian and gay experiences by therapists, are discussed. © 1994 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

The Relationship of Fear of Intimacy, Body Image Avoidance and Body Mass Index

“…For homosexual males, it has been speculated that perhaps this preoccupation is an attempt at upholding the virtues of power and control that sustain masculinity as a construct in a segment of the population often criticized as being effeminate (Heffernan, 1994). Accordingly, gender role and gender identity may provide meaningful data where gender alone failed to provide observed differences in this study.…”

“…Studies have long established a relationship between sexual orientation and eating psychopathology where homosexuality in men serves as a risk factor for the development of eating disorders, and serves as a protective factor in homosexual women (Heffernan, 1994;Meyer, 2001). These findings have been extrapolated from, and built upon findings from studies on women only.…”

“…To date, the analyses of these variables and their role in body image, intimacy and body mass index have been limited, and these factors have not been evaluated in a single study (Heffernan, 1994;Meyer, 2001). What has been indentified more clearly is that social constructs of masculinity and femininity hold protective and risk factors for the development of eating psychopathology (Meyer, 2001).…”

“…It has been speculated that perhaps this preoccupation is an attempt at upholding the virtues of power and control that sustain masculinity as a construct in a segment of the population often criticized as being effeminate (Heffernan, 1994). For homosexual men, visual cues are a powerful determinant for motivating the manifestations of body beautiful -the resulting effects yield an increased power in one's ability to realize romantic interaction.…”

“…Social constructs of masculinity and femininity hold protective and risk factors for the development of eating psychopathology (Meyer, 2001) as well as body image dissatisfaction (Heffernan, 1994). For homosexual males, it has been speculated that perhaps this preoccupation is an attempt at upholding the virtues of power and control that sustain masculinity as a construct in a segment of the population often criticized as being effeminate (Heffernan, 1994).…”