Research has shown an overlap between neurodivergence and those struggling with eating disorders. Neurodivergence is a term used to describe folks whose minds process information differently than what society has deemed the standard, including variations in how they interpret, experience, and absorb their surroundings. Eating disorders are mental illnesses characterized by disruptions in a person’s behaviors with food and perceptions of their body.

Due to perpetuated stereotypes across media and academic institutions, eating disorder research was previously skewed to focus on Western female populations, giving a false perception of who was struggling with these disorders. However, as new research continues to evolve and awareness of the presentation of neurodivergence among marginalized populations is built, we are learning how a diverse range of populations are impacted by these disorders.

One of these populations is the neurodivergent community. There is a multitude of reasons why neurodivergent people may be at an increased risk of developing an eating disorder. They may have increased or decreased sensory sensitivities, difficulties identifying hunger and fullness cues or experience emotions more intensely.

Many of these differences are then exacerbated due to the stress of having to live in a world designed primarily for neurotypical people, which could lead to the development of an eating disorder.........

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