What to Know About Anorexia in Men

Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsHow Common Is Anorexia in Men?Does Anorexia in Men Differ From Anorexia in Women?Risk FactorsSymptomsTreatment

Table of ContentsView All

View All

Table of Contents

How Common Is Anorexia in Men?

Does Anorexia in Men Differ From Anorexia in Women?

Risk Factors

Symptoms

Treatment

Anorexia and other eating disorders are often associated with women and girls; however, men and boys suffer from eating disorders too, and the consequences can be severe. In fact, because there is a stigma that men don’t suffer from anorexia, they are less likely to seek treatment, and when they do, they often go undiagnosed and untreated.

This article will give an overview of the statistics about anorexia in men, discuss the differences in how anorexia presents itself in both men and women, and discuss potential causes, symptoms, and treatment for men and boys with anorexia.

For a majority of the 20thCentury, it was believed thateating disordersdidn’t affect men, and since diagnostic criteria for eating disorders often included menstruation issues like missing periods, (something people without uteruses can’t experience), men were rarely considered in eating disorders research and treatment.

Research involving general population surveys indicates that disordered eating, including behaviors associated with anorexia such asextreme dieting, is increasing faster in men than in women.It’s estimated that between 0.1% and 0.3% of all men will develop anorexia and that 25% of people with anorexia are men.

The criteria for anorexia in the American Psychiatric Association’sDiagnostic and Statistical Manual(DSM-5) isn’t gender specific. It specifies that to be diagnosed with the condition, people must display the following symptoms:

What Are the Differences?

Yet, while men and women must both meet these criteria to be diagnosed foranorexia, there are some differences in the results each is trying to achieve.

Men and Women Aim for Different OutcomesFor instance, women with anorexia want to be thin while men are hoping to be lean and muscular.Perhaps, as a result, men with anorexia are more likely to fast andexercise excessivelywhile women are more likely to abuse laxatives and force themselves to vomit.

Men and Women Aim for Different Outcomes

For instance, women with anorexia want to be thin while men are hoping to be lean and muscular.Perhaps, as a result, men with anorexia are more likely to fast andexercise excessivelywhile women are more likely to abuse laxatives and force themselves to vomit.

Meanwhile, researchhas repeatedly shown that men are more likely to have been overweight before the onset of anorexia and have higher body mass indexes (BMI) over the course of the disorder than women.

Furthermore, severe anorexia tends to occur at a later age in men than in women, and while men weren’t more likely to die from the condition than women, those who did were more likely to die sooner after being hospitalized.

What Risk Factors Can Lead to Anorexia in Men?

There isn’t a definitive list of causes for anorexia, but there are a number of biological, psychological, and sociocultural risk factors that may leave some men more vulnerable to developing an eating disorder.

Risk factors include:

Some studies have found that gay men may be more predisposed to developing anorexia due to greater pressure to attain a body that’s attractive to other men, however many researchers have disputed this claim.

According to the National Eating Disorder Association (NEDA), although many gay and bisexual men have eating disorders, most men with eating disorders are heterosexual.

What Are the Symptoms of Anorexia in Men?

Even if a man or boy has an eating disorder, it may be difficult to detect because parents and loved ones are less likely to think of that as a possible explanation for the signs and symptoms they see, and men themselves can be especially reluctant to admit they have an issue.

Moreover, some men may not show any obvious outward symptoms. In general, many symptoms of anorexia are not gender-specific, however, here are some that are especially prevalent in men:

What to Know About Anorexia in Men

Treatment for Men With Anorexia

Early Treatment Is BestDelays in getting treatment are problematic because the earlier an individual gets into treatment, the better their chances of recovery.

Early Treatment Is Best

Delays in getting treatment are problematic because the earlier an individual gets into treatment, the better their chances of recovery.

Yet, while clinicians concur there’s a need to adapt current approaches to treating anorexia to men, there isn’t strong agreement about what these adaptations should be. As a result, clinicians lack specific guidelines for treating men with anorexia.

That said, treatment for men with anorexia is possible and can be successful. Those seeking treatment should look for doctors, clinicians, and treatment centers that take a gender-sensitive approach and, if possible, have all-male treatment groups, which are more likely to allow men to feel safe enough to open up about their struggles.

In particular, treatment should focus on issues specific to men including sexual abuse, body image,exercise abuse, pressure from media depictions, and their experiences of depression andlow self-esteem.

15 SourcesVerywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Strother E, Lemberg R, Stanford SC, Turberville D.Eating Disorders in Men: Underdiagnosed, Undertreated, and Misunderstood.Eat Disord. 2012;20(5):346-355. doi:10.1080/10640266.2012.715512Lavender JM, Brown TA, Murray SB.Men, Muscles, and Eating Disorders: an Overview of Traditional and Muscularity-Oriented Disordered Eating.Curr Psychiatry Rep. 2017;19(6). doi:10.1007/s11920-017-0787-5Eating Disorders in Men & Boys.National Eating Disorders Association.Mitchison D, Hay P, Slewa-Younan S, Mond J.The changing demographic profile of eating disorder behaviors in the community.BMC Public Health. 2014;14(1). doi:10.1186/1471-2458-14-943Statistics & Research on Eating Disorders.National Eating Disorders Association.American Psychiatric Association. Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition (DSM-5). Arlington, VA: American Psychiatric Association; 2013.Valente S, Di Girolamo G, Forlani M et al.Sex-specific issues in eating disorders: a clinical and psychopathological investigation.Eating and Weight Disorders - Studies on Anorexia, Bulimia and Obesity. 2017;22(4):707-715. doi:10.1007/s40519-017-0432-7Raevuori A, Keski-Rahkonen A, Hoek H. A review of eating disorders in males.Curr Opin Psychiatry. 2014;27(6):426-430. doi:10.1097/yco.0000000000000113Gueguen J, Godart N, Chambry J et al.Severe anorexia nervosa in men: Comparison with severe AN in women and analysis of mortality.International Journal of Eating Disorders. 2012;45(4):537-545. doi:10.1002/eat.20987Sangha S, Oliffe JL, Kelly MT, McCuaig F.Eating Disorders in Males: How Primary Care Providers Can Improve Recognition, Diagnosis, and Treatment.Am J Mens Health. 2019;13(3). doi:10.1177/1557988319857424Eating Disorders in Males.National Eating Disorders Collaboration.Feldman MB, Meyer IH.Eating disorders in diverse lesbian, gay, and bisexual populations.International Journal of Eating Disorders. 2007;40(3):218-226. doi:10.1002/eat.20360Men & Eating Disorders.National Eating Disorders Association.Weisenberger J.Eating Disorders also Affect Boys and Men.Eat RIght: Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. 2021.Kinnaird E, Norton C, Tchanturia K.Clinicians’ views on treatment adaptations for men with eating disorders: a qualitative study.BMJ Open. 2018;8(8). doi:10.1136/bmjopen-2018-021934

15 Sources

Verywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Strother E, Lemberg R, Stanford SC, Turberville D.Eating Disorders in Men: Underdiagnosed, Undertreated, and Misunderstood.Eat Disord. 2012;20(5):346-355. doi:10.1080/10640266.2012.715512Lavender JM, Brown TA, Murray SB.Men, Muscles, and Eating Disorders: an Overview of Traditional and Muscularity-Oriented Disordered Eating.Curr Psychiatry Rep. 2017;19(6). doi:10.1007/s11920-017-0787-5Eating Disorders in Men & Boys.National Eating Disorders Association.Mitchison D, Hay P, Slewa-Younan S, Mond J.The changing demographic profile of eating disorder behaviors in the community.BMC Public Health. 2014;14(1). doi:10.1186/1471-2458-14-943Statistics & Research on Eating Disorders.National Eating Disorders Association.American Psychiatric Association. Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition (DSM-5). Arlington, VA: American Psychiatric Association; 2013.Valente S, Di Girolamo G, Forlani M et al.Sex-specific issues in eating disorders: a clinical and psychopathological investigation.Eating and Weight Disorders - Studies on Anorexia, Bulimia and Obesity. 2017;22(4):707-715. doi:10.1007/s40519-017-0432-7Raevuori A, Keski-Rahkonen A, Hoek H. A review of eating disorders in males.Curr Opin Psychiatry. 2014;27(6):426-430. doi:10.1097/yco.0000000000000113Gueguen J, Godart N, Chambry J et al.Severe anorexia nervosa in men: Comparison with severe AN in women and analysis of mortality.International Journal of Eating Disorders. 2012;45(4):537-545. doi:10.1002/eat.20987Sangha S, Oliffe JL, Kelly MT, McCuaig F.Eating Disorders in Males: How Primary Care Providers Can Improve Recognition, Diagnosis, and Treatment.Am J Mens Health. 2019;13(3). doi:10.1177/1557988319857424Eating Disorders in Males.National Eating Disorders Collaboration.Feldman MB, Meyer IH.Eating disorders in diverse lesbian, gay, and bisexual populations.International Journal of Eating Disorders. 2007;40(3):218-226. doi:10.1002/eat.20360Men & Eating Disorders.National Eating Disorders Association.Weisenberger J.Eating Disorders also Affect Boys and Men.Eat RIght: Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. 2021.Kinnaird E, Norton C, Tchanturia K.Clinicians’ views on treatment adaptations for men with eating disorders: a qualitative study.BMJ Open. 2018;8(8). doi:10.1136/bmjopen-2018-021934

Verywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.

Strother E, Lemberg R, Stanford SC, Turberville D.Eating Disorders in Men: Underdiagnosed, Undertreated, and Misunderstood.Eat Disord. 2012;20(5):346-355. doi:10.1080/10640266.2012.715512Lavender JM, Brown TA, Murray SB.Men, Muscles, and Eating Disorders: an Overview of Traditional and Muscularity-Oriented Disordered Eating.Curr Psychiatry Rep. 2017;19(6). doi:10.1007/s11920-017-0787-5Eating Disorders in Men & Boys.National Eating Disorders Association.Mitchison D, Hay P, Slewa-Younan S, Mond J.The changing demographic profile of eating disorder behaviors in the community.BMC Public Health. 2014;14(1). doi:10.1186/1471-2458-14-943Statistics & Research on Eating Disorders.National Eating Disorders Association.American Psychiatric Association. Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition (DSM-5). Arlington, VA: American Psychiatric Association; 2013.Valente S, Di Girolamo G, Forlani M et al.Sex-specific issues in eating disorders: a clinical and psychopathological investigation.Eating and Weight Disorders - Studies on Anorexia, Bulimia and Obesity. 2017;22(4):707-715. doi:10.1007/s40519-017-0432-7Raevuori A, Keski-Rahkonen A, Hoek H. A review of eating disorders in males.Curr Opin Psychiatry. 2014;27(6):426-430. doi:10.1097/yco.0000000000000113Gueguen J, Godart N, Chambry J et al.Severe anorexia nervosa in men: Comparison with severe AN in women and analysis of mortality.International Journal of Eating Disorders. 2012;45(4):537-545. doi:10.1002/eat.20987Sangha S, Oliffe JL, Kelly MT, McCuaig F.Eating Disorders in Males: How Primary Care Providers Can Improve Recognition, Diagnosis, and Treatment.Am J Mens Health. 2019;13(3). doi:10.1177/1557988319857424Eating Disorders in Males.National Eating Disorders Collaboration.Feldman MB, Meyer IH.Eating disorders in diverse lesbian, gay, and bisexual populations.International Journal of Eating Disorders. 2007;40(3):218-226. doi:10.1002/eat.20360Men & Eating Disorders.National Eating Disorders Association.Weisenberger J.Eating Disorders also Affect Boys and Men.Eat RIght: Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. 2021.Kinnaird E, Norton C, Tchanturia K.Clinicians’ views on treatment adaptations for men with eating disorders: a qualitative study.BMJ Open. 2018;8(8). doi:10.1136/bmjopen-2018-021934

Strother E, Lemberg R, Stanford SC, Turberville D.Eating Disorders in Men: Underdiagnosed, Undertreated, and Misunderstood.Eat Disord. 2012;20(5):346-355. doi:10.1080/10640266.2012.715512

Lavender JM, Brown TA, Murray SB.Men, Muscles, and Eating Disorders: an Overview of Traditional and Muscularity-Oriented Disordered Eating.Curr Psychiatry Rep. 2017;19(6). doi:10.1007/s11920-017-0787-5

Eating Disorders in Men & Boys.National Eating Disorders Association.

Mitchison D, Hay P, Slewa-Younan S, Mond J.The changing demographic profile of eating disorder behaviors in the community.BMC Public Health. 2014;14(1). doi:10.1186/1471-2458-14-943

Statistics & Research on Eating Disorders.National Eating Disorders Association.

American Psychiatric Association. Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition (DSM-5). Arlington, VA: American Psychiatric Association; 2013.

Valente S, Di Girolamo G, Forlani M et al.Sex-specific issues in eating disorders: a clinical and psychopathological investigation.Eating and Weight Disorders - Studies on Anorexia, Bulimia and Obesity. 2017;22(4):707-715. doi:10.1007/s40519-017-0432-7

Raevuori A, Keski-Rahkonen A, Hoek H. A review of eating disorders in males.Curr Opin Psychiatry. 2014;27(6):426-430. doi:10.1097/yco.0000000000000113

Gueguen J, Godart N, Chambry J et al.Severe anorexia nervosa in men: Comparison with severe AN in women and analysis of mortality.International Journal of Eating Disorders. 2012;45(4):537-545. doi:10.1002/eat.20987

Sangha S, Oliffe JL, Kelly MT, McCuaig F.Eating Disorders in Males: How Primary Care Providers Can Improve Recognition, Diagnosis, and Treatment.Am J Mens Health. 2019;13(3). doi:10.1177/1557988319857424

Eating Disorders in Males.National Eating Disorders Collaboration.

Feldman MB, Meyer IH.Eating disorders in diverse lesbian, gay, and bisexual populations.International Journal of Eating Disorders. 2007;40(3):218-226. doi:10.1002/eat.20360

Men & Eating Disorders.National Eating Disorders Association.

Weisenberger J.Eating Disorders also Affect Boys and Men.Eat RIght: Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. 2021.

Kinnaird E, Norton C, Tchanturia K.Clinicians’ views on treatment adaptations for men with eating disorders: a qualitative study.BMJ Open. 2018;8(8). doi:10.1136/bmjopen-2018-021934

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