Alsana Experts: Summer Diet Culture Can Trigger Eating Disorder Behaviors in Men and Women

Summertime Pressure to Achieve the Ideal “Beach Body” Can Be Triggering for Individuals with Eating Disorders

Alsana experts find that the desire to be thin, toned and “summer body” ready for pool parties, hiking or summer outings – all thanks to diet-culture pressure – can lead to unhealthy eating patterns. Diet culture, a system of beliefs that glorifies thinness, contributes to negative body image, a common eating disorder risk factor. Body image challenges can not only contribute to the development of eating disorders but can also trigger relapse for individuals in recovery.

The way someone feels about how their body looks compared to what they consider their “ideal physique” can create stress and anxiety. People with a history of disordered eating may become more self-conscious during warm-weather months when outfits tend to be more revealing, and the pressure to be thin is more overt.

“Eating disorders and negative body image, though still thought of as challenges experienced almost exclusively by women, also impact men of all body types and backgrounds," says Heather Russo, LMFT, CEDS-S, chief clinical officer for Alsana. “This stigma is harmful as it causes many men to delay treatment, which increases their health risks. It’s important to remember that male loved ones may be struggling this summer and to know the signs.”

Alsana uses Compassion Focused Therapy to emphasize the role of self-compassion in overcoming shame and self-criticism during recovery and beyond. They also encourage families and friends of individuals with eating disorders to find ways to support their loved one’s recovery this summer.

About Alsana®

Alsana is an eating recovery community and treatment provider with in-person Residential and PHP/IOP programs in Alabama (Birmingham and Huntsville), California (Monterey, Santa Barbara, Westlake Village, and Thousand Oaks), and Missouri (St. Louis), Virtual PHP/IOP offerings across the United States. Their approach to eating disorder treatment is compassionate, evidence-based, and designed in alignment with the Adaptive Care Model®. This holistic method addresses healing in all areas of clients’ lives by integrating medical, nutritional, and therapeutic care with movement and relational therapies. Alsana’s programs accommodate the unique needs of vegan clients and clients struggling with ED-DMT1, also known as “diabulimia.” For additional information, visit www.alsana.com.

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