Somerset and Wessex Eating Disorders Association
"serving those affected by eating disorders"

Males and

Eating Disorders

Males and Eating Disorders
‘Men have eating disorders too’ is a statement that is now heard more often when eating disorders are mentioned; or perhaps it might be “throughout this book we will, for the sake of convienience, refer to the sufferer as she whilst acknowledging that men too may suffer with eating disorders’. Once delivered, this cursory, but somewhat in-vogue, acknowledgement is often deemed to be sufficient recogniton of this rather uncomfortable fact. Once stated, the real business of [women with] eating disorders can continue unaltered.

But the ‘men’ and boys that suffer with eating disorders are real people rather than a theoretical minority within the eating disordered population. Often the casual recognition of the possibility that a small number of males might struggle with an eating disorder does nothing to dispell the illusion that eating disorders are a female illness.

Things are improving and over the years books about eating disorders have begun to move from the Women’s Health sections of bookshops to the General Health ones. and more stories and articles about eating disorders from a male perspective are appearing in literature and the press.

It is true that males with eating disorders struggle with many, if not all, of the issues that females do and respond equally well to the same types of treatments and approaches to recovery if (and this is central to males with eating disorders) they feel able to admit to their “female illness” and seek help.

Men and boys do suffer from eating disorders and recognising this is vitally important but what also must be recognised and addressed are the isolation and difficulties that might prevent a man or boy from accepting his problem and seeking the help that, were he to take it up, would offer the same chance of recovery and route to wellbeing that it would his female counterpart.

Prevalence
Like much in the field of eating disorders, its prevalence in males is unclear. The Eating Disorders Association has done research which suggests that 10% of eating disorders sufferers are male. The American Journal of Psychiatry (April 2001, 158-570) quotes rather higher figures suggesting that for every 4 female anorexics there will be 1 male and that there will be 1 male for every 8-11 female bulimics. Neither figures include Binge Eating Disorder and some research suggests that equal numbers of males and females experience this! What ever the actual figure it is clear that a significant number of men and boys struggle with an eating disorder and it is presumed that many more go unnoticed as they feel unable to seek help.

Risk Factors
Comparatively little research has been done into males with eating disorders but it does seem apparent that many of the risk factors that exist for women are equally applicable in men. In particular the role of an eating disorder as a coping mechanism for, and expression of, underlying emotional distress is just relavent in males as it is in females and consequently the presence of such unresolved distress in males presents a significant risk factor as it does in females.

In addition it is thought that males may be susceptible to a range of other risks (many of which have parallels for females. For example it is believed that men who engage in sports that demand thinness or have weight catagories may more at risk of developing an eating disorder than those who do not. It is also believed that there are higher incidences of eating disorders, than that which is found in the general population, in men with careers that demand thinness or conformity to an physical ideal - for example, male models or dancers.

There is also evidence that men who were considered overweight as children may be at increased risk of developing an eating disorder.

Some research also suggests that sexuality may play a part in increase the risk of an eating disorder in males as there appears to be a higher proportion of homosexual males with eating disorders than there is in the general population.

Somerset & Wessex Eating Disorders Association (SWEDA)
At SWEDA we recognise not only the difficulties in seeking help that anyone struggling with an eating disorder will experience, but also the additional barriers and issues that exist for men and boys. It is our hope that in doing so we can enable anyone (male or female) to feel able to seek help. Whenever possible both a male and female will be available on our helpline and a male can always be contacted using our Help by Letter/Email services.

We have a range of leaflets about both eating disorders and our range of services if you would like to explore things further and a variety of contact methods. If you would like to get in touch you can ring us, write or email.

If you do not feel ready to contact us directly we have a web site with all our details on at:-

You can contact SWEDA for information about eating disorders and the range of services offered (including: one-to-one support, self-help support and the telephone helpline) at :-

SWEDA’s telephone helpline, which is staffed by trained volunteers, many of whom have a personal experience of an eating disorder, can be reached on:-

01458 448600
an answerphone is available when the helpline is closed.


support@swedauk.org
Email support and MSN Messenger contact ID

SWEDA is a registered charity (No.1056441)
and a company limited by guarantee (No.3208772)