Orthodox eating disorders

A guest post by Tikun Olam

Recently, a Rebbetzin in my life, who also happens to be in a position to create and promote programming to service Orthodox Jewish women, discussed some observations she has had of what she perceives as a growing problem in her community. She has noted that many of her contemporaries, young mothers in their 20s and 30s have been obsessively starving themselves with the goal of becoming a size 2. She explained that there is a nutritionist in her area that many of these women are going to see who sets goal weights her clients at around 15-20 lbs. less than the standard accepted healthy weight ranges normally advised by medial doctors in the field. This nutritionist is apparently in high demand and the Rebbetzin is watching as many of her friends who were once at healthy weights, have gone to extreme lengths in order to be Hollywood thin.

This Rebbetzin also shared that she recently had a discussion with a young frum man in his mid-twenties, about a date he had been on. The young man, to her alarm, said that though the “girl” was nice, she was, well, not a size 2. The Rebbetzin was understandably upset by this and of course proceeded to have a conversation with the young man about what she understands to be the qualities he should be most focused on when looking for a mate.

The phenomenon of eating disorders being especially prevalent in religious communities, both Jewish and non-Jewish, and has been the focus of study for psychologist Benzion Sorotzkin, Psy.D. as well as others, for many years (Blatt, 1996; Flett & Hewitt, 2002; Sorotzkin, 1985, 1998). Findings suggest that in communities where is there is a “strive for excellence,” there is also a tendency, for some, to become perfectionistic to a fault. Since one will inevitably fail if they expect perfection from themselves, the outcome can be devastating. Individuals often feel, when they have failed to meet their own perfectionistic expectations, “a pervasive feeling of defectiveness” and as though they have a “humiliating defect” (S.B. Miller, 1996; Sorotzkin, 1998).

Because eating disorders can be socially contagious, it is not uncommon to see mini-epidemics breakout in close knit communities. Also, because young girls take cues about body image and attitudes about eating from their mothers, generational transmission of eating disorders is also not uncommon.

Some Orthodox junior high schools and high schools have already responded to these problems by introducing programs into their school to address both the prevention of perfectionism and eating disorders. But what about those women who are past school age and are now struggling themselves and raising daughters of their own? I am hoping that more can and will be done for them as well.