The Prevalence of Eating Disorders in the Performing Arts
Post-pandemic, many artists are coming forth about their body image struggles and drive for perfection. In May 2021, The New York Times published an article covering Broadway’s reopening in NYC after the COVID-19 pandemic, which initially included the comment, “Some performers have gained weight.” This article induced intense social media backlash in reaction to the fat-phobic nature of the text and has since been changed to “some performers need to recondition their bodies or their voices.” In response, many performers opened up about their struggles with body image in the toxic arts and entertainment industry.
By: Irene Schultz
Performers are driven, self-conscious, determined, and resilient. To be a performer, one must have “tough skin” to deal with the constant judgment, rejection, and comments about one’s talent and appearance. There is a lot of literature on the effect and occurrence of eating disorders in dancers. However, non-dance artists, such as actors, singers, and musicians, are susceptible too, as shown in the review, Eating Disorders in Non-Dance Performing Artists.
Unfortunately, the entertainment industry is caught up in the arbitrary beauty standards of our society. It places extreme importance on casting based on the “look” of a particular part, and actors in larger bodies are often portrayed as caricatures onstage. Roles written for performers in larger bodies are created using false and harmful stereotypes, and body size often defines these parts. Therefore, while not all performers develop eating disorders, in her article, Dawn Smith-Theodore shares research that shows they are 20 times more likely to than the general population.
People develop eating disorders due to genetics, family dynamics, trauma, and other factors. However, an influential contributing factor is being involved in an activity that emphasizes the body’s appearance and stresses perfectionism, such as dance.
Dancers, specifically, unlike in any other profession, grow up in front of mirrors and learn to compare themselves to others at an early age. It is almost inevitable in this case that an individual may start to feel not good enough and seek to remedy this with control of their body. Dancers feel pressure from teachers and parents to work harder, perform to their potential, and be “perfect.”
Beyond body-image pressures, the preoccupation with weight can be a mechanism of control and coping, especially for those struggling with an eating disorder. Disordered eating thoughts and behaviors can become a distraction and escape from the volatility and instability of the field.
Furthermore, performers often develop more issues with food when they are between gigs, and there is a need for coping mechanisms to fill the void. In the article, Eating Disorders in the Theater, Libby Parker explains an eating disorder can create a sense of control during these times of uncertainty (i.e., not knowing where your next paycheck is coming from).
As a result, more than 15% of dancers are diagnosed with an eating disorder, according to Prevalence of Eating Disorders Amongst Dancers: A Systemic Review and Meta-Analysis. However, you do not have a doctor’s clinical diagnosis to have a poor relationship with food. Disordered eating behaviors, such as frequent weighing, counting calories, skipping meals, and so on, are detrimental to an individual’s health and performance. Restrictive eating can have profound health implications, including osteoporosis, heart murmurs, and even death. Many dancers suffer from a low heart rate, loss of a menstrual cycle, hair loss, and problematic stomach issues. Still, these symptoms are considered typical in the dance world and are more than likely a result of severe malnutrition.
Dancers, actors, singers, musicians, and other artists critique themselves. However, the qualities that make one a good artist—highly motivated, self-disciplined, conscientious, perfectionist, with high-performance standards—can cause one to lose perspective.
Suppose you or an artist you know is experiencing increasingly negative thoughts toward yourself, and there is a constant need to take drastic measures to perfect one’s body. In that case, it is vital to seek help from an eating disorder professional to stop chasing unattainable perfection and fall in love with your artistic passion again.
At BALANCE eating disorder treatment center™, our compassionate, highly skilled team of clinicians is trained in diagnosing and treating the spectrum of eating disorders, including anorexia, bulimia, binge eating disorder, compulsive overeating, and other disordered eating behaviors and body image issues. In addition to our full-time Day Treatment Program and Weeknight Intensive Outpatient Program, we offer high-quality programming, nutrition counseling with a licensed dietitian, meal support, and various other groups and resources to help those seeking help for food concerns.
Our admissions team would be happy to answer any questions you may have about our programs and services. Book a free consultation call with our admissions team below, or read more about our philosophy here.
This post was written by BALANCE Blog Contributor, Irene Schultz (she/her).
Irene is a professional dancer/actress based in Manhattan, NYC. She holds a B.F.A. in Commercial Dance and a B.A. in English/Writing from Pace University. Growing up in the arts and entertainment industry, with its extreme focus on thinness, Irene experienced and witnessed firsthand the detrimental effects of toxic diet culture. Irene completed her M.Ed. in Health Education and Promotion at Plymouth State University, where she was enrolled in the Eating Disorders Institute, the only graduate program in the world approved by the International Association of Eating Disorders Professionals (IAEDP), and the nation’s only eating disorder specialist certificate program of it’s kind. When she is not onstage performing, Irene enjoys hiking, swimming, traveling, cooking, doing yoga, cuddling with her cat, and helping other artists and individuals heal their relationship with food and their bodies. She is excited to combine her passions for eating disorder recovery and writing by contributing to the Balance blog.
References
Arcelus, Jon et al. “Prevalence of eating disorders amongst dancers: a systemic review and meta-analysis.” European eating disorders review : the journal of the Eating Disorders Association vol. 22,2 (2014): 92-101. doi:10.1002/erv.2271
Kapsetaki, Marianna E, and Charlie Easmon. “Eating Disorders in Non-Dance Performing Artists: A Systematic Literature Review.” Medical problems of performing artists vol. 32,4 (2017): 227-234. doi:10.21091/mppa.2017.4039
Parker, Libby. “Eating Disorders in the Theatre.” Dr. Drama, 14 Feb. 2021, https://www.drdrama.com/2020/08/11/guest-piece-eating-disorders-in-the-theatre/.
Paulson, Michael. “Broadway Is Reopening. but Not until September.” The New York Times, 5 May 2021, https://www.nytimes.com/2021/05/05/theater/broadway-reopening-new-york.html.
Smith-Theodore, Dawn. “Dancers and Eating Disorders.” 4dancers.Org, 8 July 2019, https://4dancers.org/2019/07/dancers-and-eating-disorders-warning-signs-and-helpful-resources/.
Smith-Theodore, Dawn. “The Eating Disorder Trap: How Dancers' Perfectionism Can Make Things Dangerously Worse.” Pointe Magazine, 6 Dec. 2021, https://pointemagazine.com/eating-disorders-ballet/.