How Anorexia Affects The Mental Health Of Men And Boys

The post is developed in partnership with BetterHelp.

It’s common knowledge that anorexia and other eating disorders disproportionately affect females, but males also struggle with these issues, and the results can be deadly. Actually, males are less likely to seek treatment for their anorexia because of the stereotype that guys don’t have the disorder, and even if they do, they frequently don’t get a proper diagnosis and hence aren’t given the care they need.

This article will review the prevalence of male anorexia, compare and contrast male and female presentations, and explore possible causes, symptoms, and treatment options for male and male-identifying individuals with anorexia.

When Compared to Women, How Common Is Anorexia Among Men?

For the better part of the 20th century, men were largely ignored in the study and treatment of eating disorders due to the widespread belief that they did not suffer from the condition and because diagnostic criteria for eating disorders often included menstruation issues like missing periods, which people without uteruses cannot experience.

In the 1990s, however, it was estimated that 10% of men suffered from some form of eating disorder. This figure has increased dramatically over the years, and today about 10 million American males will struggle with an eating disorder at some point in their lives.

The prevalence of eating disorders, such as excessive dieting and other behaviors linked to anorexia, is rising more rapidly in men than in women, according to research based on general population surveys.

25% of the population with anorexia is comprised of men, and the prevalence of anorexia in men ranges from 0.01% to 0.30%.

Is there a difference between male and female anorexia?

The DSM-5 criteria for anorexia, published by the American Psychiatric Association, do not differentiate between sexes. It lays out the criteria that must be met in order to make a diagnosis:

• Consuming less calories than necessary, therefore achieving a low body weight

• Extreme anxiety about gaining weight

• Placing a disproportionate amount of value on one’s weight

Risk Factors Of Anorexia In Men

A number of biological, psychological, and societal risk factors may make some men more susceptible to having an eating disorder, although there is no conclusive list of causes for anorexia. Learn more about the different factors that can affect eating disorders in men and boys here.

Some of the potential risks are:

• Insecurity with one’s physical appearance

• The influence of the media and popular culture on the public to strive for a certain body type

• A history of being slightly to moderately overweight

• Mood and anxiety disorders; OCD; other mental health issues

• Inadequate self-worth or obsessive perfectionism

• Addiction to alcohol, tobacco, prescription medicines, or illicit substances

• Modeling, athletic performance, and dancing,  competitive sports, and vocations that place great emphasis on body weight.

• Previous experience with bullying at school

• Previous experience of sexual abuse

How Do Men Show Symptoms of Anorexia?

Identifying an eating disorder in a man or boy can be challenging since parents and loved ones are less inclined to consider that as a possible explanation for the signs and symptoms they observe, and men can be more reluctant to confess they have a problem.

It’s also possible that some males won’t exhibit any noticeable physical signs. Many anorexic symptoms are shared by both sexes; however, males tend to be more likely to experience the following:

• Obsession with one’s physical appearance

• Rapid weight gain or loss, or weight changes that seem to be unrelated to changes in caloric intake

• Failure to maintain an appropriate weight for age and height

• Alteration in outward appearance; most noticeably, bulking up

• Decreased testosterone levels

• Working out despite pain or illness

• Anxiety due to a lack of exercise

• Constant bathroom breaks before, during, or soon after eating

• Hiding one’s food preferences

• Adhering to rigid eating schedules

• Withdrawal from social interactions

• Wearing a lot of clothes to cover up one’s body

How It’s Treated

There are presently no effective therapies for males with eating issues. Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) for adults and family-based treatment (FBT) for adolescents and young adults have both been shown to be effective in treating eating disorders in females, and studies that include male participants find similar positive results with male participants. Successful FBT treatment of teenage muscular dysmorphia has also been reported. Weight gain may not even be the primary objective of such treatment, as it may instead be used to limit exercise and prevent excessive protein intake.

Male patients seeking help for what is traditionally thought of as a female condition should be given special attention in order to combat the associated stigma. Exercise is frequently the first symptom to appear and the last one to disappear, thus it is given special attention in the treatment of guys.