Males and Eating Disorders

The National Institute of Mental Health states that one in four of preteen cases of anorexia are male. NIMH states that these boys have a warped sense of body image. Preteen and teen boys fall into two categories: the boys that think they are too small and want to bulk up and those that think they are too big or too fat. The boys who think they are too small are at risk for using steroids and other muscle mass producing drugs. The boys that think they are too big or fat may be at risk for eating disorders.

Anorexia is not the only eating disorder affecting males. Bulimia and binging eating disorders are quickly becoming a problem for more and more boys and men. The symptoms for males with eating disorders are no different than the females. You need to be on the look out for these warning signs:

• Strange eating habits
• Sudden weight loss
• Obsession with diet or exercise (calorie intake, portion control, etc.)
• Distorted body image
• Low self esteem
• Spending more time in front of the mirror than usual
• Lack of concentration
• Eating alone
• Binging
• Purging
• Secretive

These are just a few of the warning signs. The important thing to remember is that these are not just disorders for girls. Males are having an increasingly hard time overcoming these issues as well.