Women are more likely to suffer from negative feelings about their weight and food

Washington, DC, February 25, 2022 – The coronavirus pandemic fueled a corollary epidemic in eating disorders as daily routines were disrupted and people pushed into isolation. New Ipsos research, released in conjunction with NEDAwareness Week, shines a light on the acute implications for women and people under 40.

The group most at risk of eating disorders or negative self-perception as a consequence of what they eat and weigh – that is, women under 40 – are also most likely to report a newly negative relationship around food or to have started dieting since the pandemic began. More than one in four women under 40 say they have felt ashamed about what they ate on a regular basis (28%), started a new diet (27%) or felt judged by others about their body and eating habits (26%).

Detailed findings

While the number of Americans who report either being formally diagnosed with an eating disorder (4%) or suspect they have had one (4%) is small, restrictive eating and exercise habits affect a meaningful number within the broader adult population.

• Close to one in three Americans (29%) report following definite rules around eating, and 18% report restricting food as a punishment for something they ate or plan to eat.

At the same time, close to half (48%) say that there is a connection between their weight and how they value themselves as a person, while 54% say that there is a link between their personal appearance and the same.

• Women – and particularly women under the age of 40 – are most likely to draw a connection between their self-worth, weight and personal appearance.

Relatedly, women are more likely to report that they began worrying about their body image and weight early in life. Meanwhile, a majority of men (54%) say they only began worrying about these matters in their 30s or later, or have never worried about them, again underlining the disparity in impact across the genders.

While the pandemic was one catalyst in the recent surge in eating disorders, Americans also believe that social media use is a risk factor in people developing eating disorders. Among people who believe this, a majority (56%) think that the desire to fit in with peers is a top reason why social media contributes to people developing eating disorders or unhealthy relationships with food.

About the Study

This poll was conducted February 4 - 6, 2022, by Ipsos using the probability-based KnowledgePanel®. This poll is based on a nationally representative probability sample of 1,023 general population adults age 18 or older, with approximately 492 female adults and 531 male adults.

The margin of sampling error is plus or minus 3.3 percentage points at the 95% confidence level, for results based on the entire sample of adults. The margin of sampling error takes into account the design effect, which was 1.19. The margin of sampling error is higher and varies for results based on other sub-samples. In our reporting of the findings, percentage points are rounded off to the nearest whole number. As a result, percentages in a given table column may total slightly higher or lower than 100%. In questions that permit multiple responses, columns may total substantially more than 100%, depending on the number of different responses offered by each respondent.

The survey was conducted using KnowledgePanel, the largest and most well-established online probability-based panel that is representative of the adult US population. Our recruitment process employs a scientifically developed addressed-based sampling methodology using the latest Delivery Sequence File of the USPS – a database with full coverage of all delivery points in the US. Households invited to join the panel are randomly selected from all available households in the U.S. Persons in the sampled households are invited to join and participate in the panel. Those selected who do not already have internet access are provided a tablet and internet connection at no cost to the panel member. Those who join the panel and who are selected to participate in a survey are sent a unique password-protected log-in used to complete surveys online. As a result of our recruitment and sampling methodologies, samples from KnowledgePanel cover all households regardless of their phone or internet status and findings can be reported with a margin of sampling error and projected to the general population.

The data were weighted to adjust for gender by age, race/ethnicity, education, Census region, metropolitan status, household income, race/ethnicity by gender, race/ethnicity by age, and race/ethnicity by education. The demographic benchmarks came from the 2021 March supplement of the U.S. Census Bureau’s Current Population Survey (CPS). The weighting categories were as follows:

• Gender (Male, Female) by Age (18–29, 30-44, 45-59 and 60+)
• Race/Hispanic Ethnicity (White Non-Hispanic, Black Non-Hispanic, Other or 2+ Races Non-Hispanic, Hispanic)
• Education (High School graduate or less, Some College, Bachelor and beyond)
• Census Region (Northeast, Midwest, South, West)
• Metropolitan status (Metro, non-Metro)
• Household Income (Under $25,000, $25,000-$49,999, $50,000-$74,999, $75,000-$99,999, $100,000-$149,999, $150,000+)

About Ipsos

Ipsos is the world’s third largest Insights and Analytics company, present in 90 markets and employing more than 18,000 people.

Our passionately curious research professionals, analysts and scientists have built unique multi-specialist capabilities that provide true understanding and powerful insights into the actions, opinions and motivations of citizens, consumers, patients, customers or employees. We serve more than 5000 clients across the world with 75 business solutions.

Founded in France in 1975, Ipsos is listed on the Euronext Paris since July 1st, 1999. The company is part of the SBF 120 and the Mid-60 index and is eligible for the Deferred Settlement Service (SRD).

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