Males and Eating Disorders
Statistics:
- Approximately 1 million men in the US suffer from an ED
- Prevalence of males with ED has increased over past 20 years: currently, for every 4 women diagnosed with anorexia, there is 1 male; and for every 8-11 women diagnosed with bulimia, there is 1 male
- 5-15% of people diagnosed with anorexia and bulimia are men
- Binge eating disorder seems to occur almost as equally in males and females
Males often begin eating disorders at older ages than females and more often have a history of being overweight or obese.
Males may be less likely to seek treatment because eating disorders are typically categorized as womens issues. Eating disorders are shame-based for men and women.
Risk Factors:
- Fat or overweight as children; ridiculed by parents or peers for weight
- Being on a diet or past history of dieting; Dieting is one of the most powerful ED triggers for men and women
- Participating in sports that emphasize thinness, such as being a wrestler, runner, or jockey. Body builders may be at risk if they decrease their nutrition in order to increase muscle definition
- Have jobs or professions that emphasize thinness, such as male models, actors, or entertainers
- Some are members of the gay community that emphasize physical attractiveness
- Pressure for men to build muscle in order to be big, strong, and powerful because being thin or looking fragile is considered a weakness.
Males may experience the following symptoms:
- Dramatic weight loss from being normal weight, overweight, or obese
- Dramatic shifts in weight from transitioning from a sport like football to a sport like running
- Complaints of constipation, abdominal pain, bloating, cold intolerance, lethargy or excess energy
- Low libido
- Increased anxiety or depression
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BY: my MFT intern Erin Conley
Erin Conley specializes in treating Eating Disorders.
Please see my website for more information.
http://shiftca.tripod.com