Body Image, Weight, and Eating Disorders among Middle Eastern Immigrant Women in the United States

Individuals are believed to evaluate and alter their physical appearance as they adjust to new cultural contexts, and there are currently 1.2 million Middle Eastern Immigrants in the U.S. The intent of this study was to investigate the potential relationship between age of immigration and body image dissatisfaction among immigrant women from the Middle East and surrounding countries. This quantitative study explored the differences in BMI, body image/eating disorders, attachment styles, and ethnic identity among immigrant women who migrated as children (before the age of 13) vs. adults (after the age of 25). Data was collected using an on-line self-report survey and the final sample in this study consisted of 76 participants. Results indicated that women who migrated to the U.S. as adults had higher BMI, were more dissatisfied with their body and reported more disordered eating than women who migrated as a child, although these women were in general older (average age of 53 years old) than those who had immigrated as children (average age of 24 years old). There appeared to be a significant difference in BMI when relationship status was considered indicating that women who reported being separated had the highest BMI values among all relationship status. In general, insecurely attached immigrant women who migrated to the U.S. (regardless of age or year of immigration) were more vulnerable to eating disorders than securely attached immigrant women. Furthermore, no relationship was found between ethnic identity and body dissatisfaction. Clinical implications of findings are discussed.