Eating Disorders: Higher Risk for LGBTQI+ Individuals

Research indicates that LGBTQI+ individuals are at a higher risk of developing eating disorders due to factors such as minority stress and gender dysphoria.

Eating disorders, serious mental illnesses, affect the relationship with food and have implications for physical and mental health. In the United States, 54% of LGBTQI+ youth have been diagnosed with an eating disorder.

The risk is not uniform: lesbians, gays, and bisexuals have twice the risk, intersex individuals four times the risk, and transgender individuals eleven times the risk compared to cisgender individuals.

Minority stress, caused by discrimination and social rejection, and gender dysphoria, where gender identity does not match the body, are important factors.

Treatment needs to be tailored to the needs of LGBTQI+ individuals, using the correct name and pronouns, inclusive language, and addressing minority stress.