The aesthetics of “thinness” promoted by diet culture transforms not only an individual’s weight but also their perception of the self and body. While discussions around eating disorders have long revolved around concepts like “control” and “willpower,” the emerging trauma-informed approach offers a new perspective: the relationship with one’s body often reflects the silent traces of the past. Recent clinical and academic advances in the field of eating disorders compel us to go beyond conventional understandings. The growing interest in trauma-informed care over recent years is shifting not only treatment approaches but also our understanding of how eating disorders develop, persist, and heal. This shift signals a transformation not only within psychotherapy but also across societal, cultural, and political domains. When reexamined through a trauma-focused lens, the pressures exerted by diet culture reveal an even more complex picture.
The Silent Traumas of Diet Culture
Diet culture is a system that deeply affects how individuals relate to their bodies. It categorizes foods as “good” or “bad,” and bodies as “ideal” or “inadequate.” Beyond promoting weight loss, this culture feeds feelings of guilt, shame, and alienation. Supported by the media, the healthcare industry, and even educational institutions, diet culture continuously reproduces the ideal body image. This idealization process is not only physically but also psychologically harmful. In a culture where thinness is seen as virtue and being overweight as a sign of laziness or failure, individuals often become estranged from their own bodies.
A meta-analysis by Huang et al. (2021) revealed that social media usage increases body dissatisfaction in young people, laying the groundwork for eating disorders. In this context, the body ceases to be a mere physical structure—it becomes a vessel of self-worth and a measure of social acceptance. Women, adolescents, and LGBTQ+ individuals are particularly vulnerable to these cultural pressures.
Understanding the Roots: A Trauma-Informed Lens
Approaching eating disorders solely through symptoms and behaviors often means evaluating only the visible part of the iceberg. A trauma-informed perspective aims to understand not just what a person does, but what they have been through—shifting the question from “Why are they behaving this way?” to “What might this person have experienced?” This approach seeks to uncover the survival strategies behind the symptoms, not just the symptoms themselves.
Brewerton and Cooper (2019) found that childhood traumas—particularly emotional and physical neglect—are highly prevalent in individuals with eating disorders and must be considered in treatment. Trauma-informed interventions not only reduce symptoms but also help rebuild a sense of self, body relationship, and internal safety.
Trauma, the Body, and Somatic Memory in Eating Disorders
As Bessel van der Kolk (2014) emphasized in The Body Keeps the Score, the body remembers what the mind may forget. Early experiences such as emotional neglect, sexual abuse, bullying, or controlling parenting styles may cause individuals to perceive their bodies as unsafe or threatening. These early experiences shape one’s relationship with the body, and eating behaviors can become a medium through which this relationship is expressed. Eating disorders can serve as a manifestation of tension with the body, a means of emotional regulation, or an attempt to reclaim control. Monteleone et al. (2022) found that emotion regulation difficulties are central to this dynamic.
Trauma-informed care avoids labeling these behaviors as “irrational” or “disordered,” instead viewing them as meaningful survival responses. Choosing starvation, dissociation from the body, or purging may represent attempts to create order in emotional chaos. Therefore, treatment must go beyond symptom management—it must create a therapeutic space where the individual can feel bodily safe once again.
Approaches like trauma-informed yoga and somatic therapies are promising tools in this domain. Incorporating the body into therapy involves more than working on body image; it means gently addressing the emotional burdens the body carries.
Conclusion
The internalized pressures of diet culture damage not only the physical body but also the relationship one has with it. Eating disorders are often silent responses to these cultural wounds. Trauma-informed care brings a compassionate perspective to these responses, replacing judgment with curiosity. It shifts the focus from symptoms to origins, from appearance to the body’s lived memory. This holistic approach not only transforms psychological support but also deepens the healing journey of individuals.
References
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Brewerton, T. D., & Cooper, Z. (2019). Trauma-informed care and practice for eating disorders. Eating and Weight Disorders – Studies on Anorexia, Bulimia and Obesity, 24(2), 329–338. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40519-018-0600-y
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Huang, Y., Zhao, N., & Wang, J. (2021). Social media use and body dissatisfaction: A meta-analysis. Computers in Human Behavior, 124, 106932. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chb.2021.106932
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Monteleone, A. M., Cascino, G., & Treasure, J. (2022). The impact of childhood trauma on eating disorder symptomatology and emotion regulation: A review of the literature. European Eating Disorders Review, 30(2), 126–137. https://doi.org/10.1002/erv.2886
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van der Kolk, B. A. (2014). The Body Keeps the Score: Brain, Mind, and Body in the Healing of Trauma. Viking.