In a March 17 article on BCLocalNews.com, writer Martin van den Hemel reported that Canadian health experts are becoming increasingly aware of the prevalence of eating disorders among men and boys:

Over the last few years, researchers have come to the realization that as many as one in four who suffer from anorexia or bulimia are male, said University of B.C. professor Dr. Laird Birmingham, senior scientist with the Child and Family Research Institute in Vancouver.

"Previously, some people thought eating disorders didnt occur much at all in males, whereas other people in certain centres that specialized in males with eating disorders thought they were very common," Birmingham said [March 16], ahead of a public forum on eating disorders in Richmond [on March 24].

But a cross-Canada nutrition survey conducted by the federal government four years ago suggested men accounted for 20 to 25 per cent of people with eating disorders.

Labels: canada, boys, men

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When it comes to issues of distorted body image and eating disorders, studies and stories of how women are affected abound. Not so with men. Yet, men comprise at least ten percent of all eating disorder cases.

"Males struggle with eating concerns and, like their female counterparts, these disorders can take a tremendous toll on their lives &

Competition in sports that emphasize lean body shapes (cross country, diving, gymnastics) or larger body builds (football) may also influence the development of an eating disorder in males. Certainly, magazine ads of men with six-packs and arms the size of tree trunks can make any male feel inadequate. [Source: The Daily Vidette (Illinois State University)]

Men, like women, need to remember that bodies come in all shapes and sizes  not everyone looks like the guy in the magazine (and not everyone is supposed to). A focus on health, rather than size, weight, or muscle tone, can help both men and women stave off insecurity and body dissatisfaction.

Labels: men, eating disorders

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Susan Barry's son was thoughtful, kind and inclusive. He was also a perfectionist who died of anorexia nervosa. To honor the memory of her son, and raise awareness of the prevalence of eating disorders among teenage males, Barry is hosting a 5K race June 6 in Okemos, Michigan.

Barry said T.J. started out just wanting a six-pack of abdominal muscles. However, she said it got to a point where he couldn't stop obsessing over his weight. ... Her son, she noted, performed 1,000 sit-ups every morning and another 1,000 at night. (Source: Lansing State Journal)

The race is named after her son -- 5K4TJ -- and is scheduled for Saturday, June 6, 10 a.m., starting at Kinawa Middle School in Okemos. The fee is $20 in advance or $25 on the day of the race.

Though many people mistakenly believe that eating disorders only affect girls and women, cases of eating disorders among boys and men are becoming much more common.

Labels: boys, men, eating disorders

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Eating disorders are typically associated with teenage girls. And while most cases are still found in women, the prevalence of eating disorders in men is increasing.

"Patricks battle with anorexia started in college. A star lacrosse player in high school, [Patrick] struggled on his college team, and had a run-in with a coach. He began to doubt himself& He began exercising more and eating less, as little as 500 calories a day."
- Source: Mansfield (OH) News Journal

In the past, experts have estimated that about one in ten anorexics was male. Now that number may be as high as one in four. Increased pressure to be both thin and "ripped" is causing men to over-exercise and undereat.

Labels: men, eating disorders

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A psychologist at the University of Chicago Eating Disorders Program says her research indicates that about one in ten people with eating disorders are males, and they tend to be athletes.

Dr. Angela Doyle says athletes often need to attain a target weight or body image, and this leads them into disordered eating patterns. Sometimes these disorders begin as harmless experiments, such as cutting out trans fats or corn syrup, and gradually turn into full-fledged eating disorders, including anorexia or bulimia.

Dr. Doyle says that symptoms may include working out excessively, depression, refusing to go out to eat or to go anywhere where the person cannot control the food supply, and obsession with "an ideal body image very similar to an Abercrombie and Fitch model."

Labels: men, athletes

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Susan Barry knows all too well that eating disorders don't affect only girls and women. Her son died of anorexia at the age of 22.

"About 10 percent of the eight million people in the United States who have an eating disorder are men, though many of them go undiagnosed and suffer in silence, according to Judy Teffer of the National Association of Anorexia Nervosa and Associated Disorders."

Awareness of male anorexia is on the rise, thanks in large part to people like Barry who are willing to share their experiences. Barry currently writing a book about her son's battle with anorexia and poor body image, which started when he was in the eighth grade. Source: The Flint (MI) Journal

Labels: diagnosis, men, support

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Because eating disorders primarily affect women, relatively little time has been spent trying to understand how the disorders express themselves in - and affect - men. The information that does exist seems to indicate that eating disorders and body image issues look very different in men than in women.

"According to Dr. [Peter} Rowan, there are also many men who have an unhealthy relationships with food who don't fit the diagnostic criteria - which are, of course, designed for women. For instance some men are obsessed with fitness, but not necessarily because they are trying to change their body shape. Some may, for example, become addicted to exercise in an attempt to live longer and avoid coronary heart disease."

As a result of these concerns, some men may develop disordered eating habits. The unique circumstances surrounding men's attitudes toward food and body image make diagnosing eating disorders difficult - but these difficulties don't mean that the disorders themselves don't exist. Source: Medical News Today

Labels: men, exercise, body_image

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It's always been viewed as primarily a female problem: an obsession with weight and appearance that leads to eating disorders such as anorexia and bulimia. But an increasing number of men are fighting similar battles.

"[Sam] Lample said in males, there is more of a focus on size than weight. He said some males will obsess over becoming muscular or 'ripped' like Hollywood A-List men... Men are starting to experience the same type of media-related pressure for appearance and body shape as women have for some time..."

Because the disorders in men often don't involve weight loss, they can be deceptive. Symptoms in men look different, and are typically expressed through excessive exercising and use of potentially-harmful substances - such as steroids - to increase muscle mass. Source: ABC Channel 15 (Phoenix, AZ)

Read more: Eating Disorders and Mental Illness and Eating Disorders in Boys and Men

Labels: men, body_image, muscles

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London's Fashion Week will again feature size zero models. But it won't be just the women who are super-skinny. The newest trend among male models is now "size zero" as well, and it has the medical community and eating disorder charities concerned.

"A spokeswoman from the charity Beat said: 'There does seem to be a growing trend towards men's clothes being designed for the slimmer male physique, and we're certainly aware of more men with eating disorders.'"

Though the trend started a few years ago, it's been gaining popularity, which is why so many in the medical community are concerned. Read more at NZHerald.com.

BoardingSchoolsInfo has a complete list of private boarding schools for boys and girls.

Labels: men, fashion, modeling

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Jeremy Gillitzer was in his mid-30s when he contacted a local newspaper in the fall of 2007 and offered to tell his story. Weighing just 88 pounds, he suffered from anorexia – a disorder more commonly associated with young women. On June 7, the reporter who originally interviewed Jeremy made the sad announcement that he had died.

“I [had] visited Jeremy at Methodist Hospital’s Eating Disorder Institute, bringing him a book to help him pass the time,: Jeremy Hoffman wrote. "He was the only male in a ward full of women, all of them with the hollow, wispy look common to advanced anorexia.” [Source: Minneapolis City Pages]

Gillitzer wanted to reach as many people as possible, in the hopes that some would be deterred from engaging in disordered eating habits. Though his voice has been silenced, his story will continue to educate people about the very real dangers of anorexia and other eating disorders among men.

Labels: men, anorexia, death

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Though the world is slowly waking up to the fact that body image issues and eating disorders don’t just affect females, a new study has found that men and boys still feel ashamed, unnoticed and unable to get professional help.

“The stigma around males and body image means males find it even harder to acknowledge they have an eating disorder and seek help. Males showing signs of eating disorders are less likely to be recognized and diagnosed by professionals including GPs and psychiatrists.” - Source: MediLexicon

These days, men face as many unrealistic expectations as women – though the expectations are different. Instead of being expected to be thin as a rail, men feel pressured to have six-pack abs, lots of muscle and not an ounce of fat. Organizations like the South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust (SLaM) are working to raise awareness and eradicate the stigma so that men can get the help they need.
 

Labels: boys, men, body image

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