Do Asian girls have to be thin?

When you are walking in the street, you pass two women. They are both thin, but one of them is white and the other is Asian. Someone may tell you that one of them may be anorexic and the other is born so thin. So, which one of them has a diet problem?

Your first reaction is probably a white woman. According to the National Eating Disorders Association, eating disorders are usually associated with white women. However, recent research shows that eating disorders in Asia are rising steadily, which may bring changes to this traditional impression.

According to the article in June 5438+09 on the website of Cosmopolitan magazine, at the end of June 5438+09, anorexia was first regarded as a clinical symptom in the United States and Western Europe, and in the 1960s, anorexia and bulimia became common diseases in the western world. Eating disorders began to appear in Asia in 1970s, but until 1990, Japan was the only Asian country that paid attention to it.

Last September, Catherine, a psychology professor at Columbia University? m？ According to a study published by Kathleen M. Pike, eating disorders in Asia are not the same as those in the West, and are closely related to their cultures. Parker's research is one of many evidences, which proves that traditional cultural values can not only explain why East Asian countries have eating disorders, but also explain why they don't pay attention to this problem.

Economic growth indirectly explains why eating disorders occur in different cultures. In the west, the consumer economy rose in the second half of the 20th century, and then more and more emphasis was placed on the pursuit of personal achievement. At the same time, eating disorders also appeared. After that, so did Asia. According to the different speed of economic development, Japanese, China and Vietnamese began to pay attention to eating disorders.

"As Asian countries become richer, their economic ties with the world are getting closer and closer, and eating disorders are also increasing." Parker said. A study in March 20 14 pointed out that the eating disorders of college students in China are catching up with those in the west.

For Asian women in the United States, they are used to western individualism and are also impacted by some traditional Asian values. "Asians want women to be short, thin and quiet. I think this has a lot to do with gender discrimination. They think women should be obedient. " Julianne, 1 1 year-old China woman who immigrated to the United States? Julianne often said that she suffered from eating disorders throughout high school. "Being thin is not only for the external image, but also for how you are more like an Asian woman." Lisa, another China woman? Lisa Lee said.

In Asian culture, thinness is the default female figure, and there is great pressure on it in society. "Women should be thin. If not, it's your fault. " Zhang said.

In China culture, diet is a very important part. "Friends and relatives want you to eat more, but they don't want you to gain weight." Lisa. Li said, "They will give you a good meal to show their love for you. If you refuse this, it's like refusing their love. " This kind of family pressure usually comes from elders. The food shortage in China's history made them maintain this attitude of regarding diet as an expression of abundance.

Asian identity has a great influence on the eating habits of Asian American women. Julianne. Zhang said that he is always thinking about what to eat for his next meal, and he always chooses to eat alone. She said that she had decided to seek psychotherapy.