Men with eating disorders: 25% of individuals with eating disorders in the UK are male…
Eating disorders have long been associated with women, but the reality is far more complex than the emaciated white teenage girl stereotype allows for. The fact is that men with eating disorders exist, and their struggle is just as valid, regaardless of gender…
Whilst it’s true that there is a significant discrepancy in terms of the amount of women being diagnosed with eating disorders compared to the amount of men (the ratio is approximately 1:10 in the UK), this is not because men are not effected by eating disorders. Men are affected- an estimated 25% of individuals with anorexia or bulimia, and up to 40% of individuals with binge-eating disorder in the UK are male… But, as statistics highlight, eating disorders among men have been historically both underdiagnosed and undertreated. Why? Likely because of the stigma that exists surrounding eating disorders in men/the perception that eating disorders are primarily a ‘female’ issue, a perception which can, unsurprisingly, deter men from seeking help, thus leading to the worsening of the disorder…
What’s more, even if a man does recognise the signs of having an eating disorder in themselves, even if they are able to ‘break free’ from internalising all the stereotypes regarding eating disorders being a ‘female illness’, even then healthcare professionals might not always recognise their validity as a male patient, for they too are caught up in the, wholly inaccurate, stereotypes themselves… This can subsequently lead to delayed diagnosis and treatment occurring where men with eating disorders are concerned…
Delayed Diagnosis
Stigma, limited specialised services, and a shortage of trained professionals can make it difficult for men to access appropriate care. More awareness and education is undoubtedly needed in order for us to collectively combat media-fuelled stereotypes and encourage early intervention.
Fortunately, however, there has been a growing recognition of this issue, as Lee Hawker-Lecesne MBPsS, Clinical Director at The Cabin, Asia’s most respected rehab (they have successfully treated over 5,000 inpatients from around the world, more details on The Cabin’s eating disorder treatment programme can be seen here), comments…
“We believe it our responsibility to inform the public that eating disorders don’t discriminate by gender. They can affect anyone, and for those men whom are affected by eating disorders, the pain is very real.’
The Cause of Eating Disorders In Men
Like females, males are also exposed to societal pressures related to body image, attractiveness, and the idealised male physique, which can contribute to the development of eating disorders. Body dissatisfaction or negative appraisals of one’s body image or appearance can lead to unhealthy eating behaviours fuelling the onset of disordered eating.
Now, such ‘appraisals’ relating to one’s body often come via the media, the media which is renowned for promoting unrealistic body standards on us all, men not excluded… For men, emphasising ‘muscularity’ and ‘leanness’, as the media so often does, can trigger body dissatisfaction and lead to disordered eating behaviours, particularly in athletes…
Male athletes, especially those in sports that prioritise weight or appearance (e.g., bodybuilding and wrestling), are at an increased risk of developing an eating disorder, with this often being as a direct result of the pressure to achieve a certain body shape or weight class they have imposed upon them.
Furthermore, underlying psychological factors such as low self-esteem, perfectionism, anxiety, depression, and trauma, as well as biological factors such as genetic predisposition and hormonal imbalances, can also play a significant role in the development of eating disorders, regardless of gender…
‘Ultimately eating disorders are less about vanity, and more about control and numbing emotions. Men can suffer from this just as much as women.’
(^) Lee Hawker-Lecesne, Clinical Director at The Cabin comments.
‘There is a lot of shame around men struggling with body image and eating disorders. Society understands that women have been impacted though social media and society at large around body image, but, it is not yet acknowledged or accepted that men are equally impacted.’
Lee goes on to write…
With suicide rates in men being at an all time high, it’s so important that we don’t overlook mental health issues in men, including eating disorders. As I hope this post has made clear, men struggle with issues relating to their food and body image too, and, just like women, it is so easy for what starts off as an ‘innocent’ thought relating to them ‘just wanting to tone up’ to, quite quickly, tip over into a full blown eating disorder, for which they have non control in stopping without support behind them (support which, for men, is very much lacking where eating disorders are concerned)…
‘Society often tells us that ‘real men don’t have eating disorders’, but we are here to say that ‘real’ men struggle, too. We believe it’s time to break the stigma. Living with an eating disorder leaves men feeling trapped in their own bodies. Those men who suffer report feeling that no one seems to understand. This is not just a ‘women’s issue’, it’s a human issue.’
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