Musicians are Susceptible to Suffer Eating Disorder According to Study

2017-12-18 String Instrument News

Anxiety, stress, and pressure are several factors that are present in the musician’s career. These factors are one of the most probable reasons why musicians could suffer eating disorder, according to the result of the research published in the scientific journal Eating and Weight Disorders.

The research was done by surveying 301 musicians. Among them are 250 classical musicians all of them are over 18 years of age. The result of the study shows that among 1/3 of the 32.3 percent admitted that they are suffering from eating disorders which comes in different forms such as bulimia nervosa or binge-eating disorder and anorexia nervosa.

Musicians stated that stress, perfectionism, exams, and concerts are those that trigger eating disorders. Perfectionism would always fall on classical musicians compared to other musicians who took the survey.

Other professional musicians, music students, soloists and even those that are traveling to different places are also susceptible to acquire eating disorders. When it comes to gender, female musicians are mostly affected compared to males. According to study, 41.67 percent are women while 18.27 percent are men are those who suffer such disorder.

Eating disorders are spreading among musicians today according to the consummated report conducted by Charlie Easmon and Marianna Evangelia Kapsetaki. The demands of their job which causes perfectionism, anxiety, stress, and depression are the risk factors for an eating disorder.

The unstable income, the unpredictable schedule for work and the pressure during a performance are what draw these musicians to such an unhealthy eating practice, said Easmon and Kapsetaki. Added to that, they have teachers, parents, and even friends that put pressure on them as well as their puberty, peer pressures and competitiveness. Such factors contribute much to influencing the musicians eating habit.

Others who are involved in the survey are conductors which cover 1.5 percent, musicologist who is 2.2 percent, composers who are 4.5 percent, singers which 31.1 percent and the most significant number among the list are the instrumentalists who cover 82.8 percent of the entire survey. There is a remaining 2.4 percent which was categorized as others.