Missionary work is demanding: spiritually, emotionally, and physically. There’s no way around it. What many people don’t realize, though, is how those demands can affect food, body image, and mental health.
In my blog “LDS Missionaries and Mental Health: Eating Disorders, Anxiety, and Perfectionism,” I shared a disclaimer that I’ll share again here: my intention is not to criticize missionary service, but to shine a light on the challenges missionaries face so we can support them better. These young adults are giving up everything familiar to follow their hearts and serve. They deserve care, compassion, and resources that match the level of sacrifice they’re making. That’s why I’m here. This is my compassion and conviction not to be unsupportive. For those already struggling, eating disorder therapy in Utah can provide compassionate, specialized support.
Why Missionaries Are at Risk for Eating Disorders
Eating disorders often begin in late adolescence or early adulthood, which is exactly when most missionaries are leaving home to serve. Ages 18 and 19 are already a vulnerable time for developing disordered eating, even without the added pressures of missionary life. When you layer on strict rules, loss of control, and the constant expectation to represent their faith, it creates an environment where eating disorders can easily take root.
Eating disorders can develop during missionary service, even in young adults who have never struggled with food or body image before. The stress, structure, and constant expectations of missionary life can create the perfect storm for disordered eating to take hold. For those who already had concerns about eating or weight before they left, the pressures of mission life can make those struggles worse.
Sometimes this is hard for members to recognize because of the belief that missionaries carry a mantle and are protected. While that spiritual protection may bring strength in some ways, it doesn’t make missionaries immune to mental health struggles. Eating disorders can happen to anyone, and they often show up more in missionary service than most people realize. This isn’t about blaming missionary work. It’s about telling the truth so we can notice the signs early and give missionaries the support they need.
The Pressures of Missionary Life and Eating Behaviors
Missionary life is built around a strict daily schedule. Every hour is planned. From studying to proselytizing, to working with ward members. Structure can be helpful, but it can also leave little of their own control. For a missionary who is already feeling anxious or out of control, that lack of flexibility can quickly turn into trying to control food.
On top of that, missionaries live with the constant pressure of making sure everyone hears their gospel message. Every interaction is seen as a reflection of their role as a representative of the Church and Jesus Christ. Always having to put on a brave face can make basic needs like rest, comfort, or food feel like weaknesses instead of part of being human. Over time, that pressure can twist into worries about eating or appearance.
Food itself also looks very different depending on where a missionary serves. Some are placed in cultures where refusing food is considered rude, and they may feel pressure to eat beyond fullness. Others may serve in areas where food is scarce, unfamiliar, or very different from what they grew up with. In both cases, missionaries don’t always have the ability to eat intuitively, to listen to their body’s natural hunger and fullness cues. Instead, meals may become about politeness, rules, or survival rather than true nourishment.
Many missionaries also feel a strong push to model discipline and self-control. While discipline can be a positive trait, it sometimes shifts in harmful directions. A missionary who feels like they can’t teach enough lessons or control their numbers may turn instead to controlling their food intake, exercise, or appearance. Over time, this can grow into unhealthy patterns.
This is one of the ways missionary body image struggles can develop. The drive to be seen as dedicated and disciplined can spill into how missionaries view their bodies, convincing them that weight, size, or appearance somehow reflects their worth or spiritual strength.
Diet Changes and Cultural Shifts
One of the biggest changes missionaries face is food. Serving in a new place or even a new country often means eating meals that are different from what they are used to. What feels normal in one culture may feel overwhelming or uncomfortable for a missionary trying to adjust.
Portion sizes can also be very different. In some areas, meals are large, and missionaries may feel pressure to eat more than they want so they don’t seem rude. In other areas, food may be limited, and missionaries may not know if they’ll get enough to feel full. This back-and-forth can make eating stressful and may lead to skipping meals, overeating, or feeling guilty about food choices.
Another part of mission life is that Church members often feed missionaries as a way to show love and support. While this can be a blessing, it can also bring extra pressure. Missionaries may feel like they have to clean their plates to show gratitude, even when they are full. Over time, this can make it harder for them to listen to their hunger and fullness cues and may add to worries about body image.
On top of all this, there’s the constant talk about missionary weight gain/loss. Talk of missionaries gaining weight is so common that it’s often joked about before they even leave. What’s often missed is that this age group is still growing and developing. Many missionaries are still in their teenage years, and it’s completely normal for their bodies to change at this stage of life, including weight gain. Weight changes don’t mean they are doing something wrong; this is just a part of healthy development.
On the other hand, missionaries who lose weight because of stress, illness, or food scarcity may also get comments. Whether it’s about gaining or losing, these remarks can create shame and increase anxiety about appearance.
When food becomes more about politeness or pressure than about true nourishment, missionaries may begin to feel disconnected from their bodies. Over time, this disconnection can open the door to disordered eating.
Companion Dynamics and Food
Missionaries don’t eat alone. Meals are tied to companionship rules, which means eating together at set times and often eating the same foods. This lack of personal flexibility can feel hard for someone who may already struggle with food choices or who simply eats differently than their companion.
Eating side by side with a companion also creates constant opportunities for comparison. Missionaries notice not only how much their companion eats but also what kinds of foods they choose, how quickly they finish, or whether they go back for seconds. For people who are already prone to eating disorders, this type of comparison can become overwhelming. What might start as a simple observation, “My companion eats less than I do,” can grow into guilt, shame, or pressure to change eating habits just to match.
Comments can make this even harder. Even lighthearted or well-meaning jokes about weight, appetite, or body size can be harmful. A remark like “you eat so much more than me” or “you’re lucky you don’t gain weight” may seem small, but it can stick and deepen food anxiety.
Another challenge is how missionaries pay for food. Companions often put their money together and shop for groceries as a pair. This can make budgeting easier, but it also means they usually end up eating the same meals. For a missionary who is used to eating differently at home, this can feel hard. They may not get the foods they prefer or need and may feel pressure to go along with whatever their companion chooses. Over time, this lack of choice can add stress around food and make it harder to keep a healthy relationship with eating.
Signs a Missionary Might Be Struggling with an Eating Disorder
Eating disorders can be hard to see, especially for missionaries who are far from home. Families usually only get weekly emails, short calls, and a few photos, which makes it easy for struggles to stay hidden. Still, there are warning signs to look for:
Talking a lot about weight or food in emails or calls
Frequent comments about gaining weight, eating too much, or focusing heavily on meals can point to deeper concerns.Avoiding or refusing foods in social or cultural situations
Saying “I’m too full” or “I don’t like that” may sometimes be true, but if it becomes a pattern, it could signal food anxiety or control issues.Excessive exercise or guilt about missing workouts
Feeling like they must exercise no matter what, or making up for eating by pushing themselves physically, can be a red flag.Emotional changes
Increased shame, self-criticism, irritability, or frequent apologies may reflect inner struggles with food and body image.
None of these signs alone proves that a missionary has an eating disorder, but noticing them with compassion can open the door for honest conversations and needed support.
Support and Next Steps
Missionaries may not always have access to an eating disorder therapist while they are serving. That can make it hard to get the help they really need during missionary service. Families and leaders can still play an important role by listening without judgment, encouraging open conversations, and helping a missionary feel less alone. Families and leaders should also avoid pressuring a missionary to “have more faith” or to stay in the field when they are clearly struggling. Faith is not a substitute for professional care, and asking a missionary to push through an eating disorder can cause more harm. Supporting their health first is the most loving and faithful choice. Struggling with an eating disorder means they might have to make the difficult but brave decision to pause missionary service so a young adult can focus on recovery.
Start Eating Disorder Therapy in Utah
The most important thing to remember is that eating disorders are treatable, and recovery is possible. Working with an eating disorder therapist makes a difference, both during missionary service and afterward. If you or someone you love is struggling, know that help is available. This Utah Eating Disorder Clinic has an eating disorder therapist who provides compassionate, specialized care to guide the healing process. To start eating disorder therapy in Utah, follow these steps:
Meet with a therapist for eating disorders
Begin eating disorder recovery
Online Eating Disorder Therapy in Utah
Getting the right help should not depend on where you live. That’s why I offer online therapy in Utah, so you can access specialized care no matter your city or county. Therapy is private, convenient, and focused on helping you build a healthier relationship with food, body, and self. With online care, compassionate support is available anywhere in Utah.
Whether you’re in Salt Lake City, Provo, St. George, Cedar City, Heber City, Logan, or a smaller town in between, online sessions make it easier to get consistent support without the stress of travel.
About the Author
Ashlee Hunt, LCSW, is a licensed clinical social worker and the owner of Maple Canyon Therapy, an online counseling practice in Utah. She specializes in eating disorder therapy for women and has worked at every level of care: inpatient, residential, and outpatient — before starting her own practice.
Ashlee earned her master’s degree in Social Work from Utah State University and has over a decade of experience helping women heal their relationships with food, body image, and self-worth. She also teaches university-level social work courses, training the next generation of therapists in empowerment, multicultural competence, and trauma-informed care.
Drawing on her clinical expertise and lived experience within LDS culture, Ashlee writes about the unique mental health challenges faced by missionaries and young adults in faith-based settings. Her goal is to break stigma, offer compassionate support, and make specialized therapy accessible to people across Utah.