Emily Johnson

Emily 1

Professor Cole
English 2010
19 July 2016
Eating Disorders: How Males are Affected
Many people know a decent amount about eating disorders. From the small section discussed on
eating disorders in middle school health class, to the many articles and tabloids on what celebrities are
too thin and what celebrities have let themselves go. We hear about anorexia and bulimia all the
time, and most people think of females in regards to this topic. However, according to Samuel Lample,
an eating disorder specialist, 1 to 3 million males have anorexia and bulimia in the United States.
The first report of an eating disorder in a male was published in 1689 by Dr Richard Morton. He
described the case as 'nervous consumption'.. (Carlat 1). Many people are shocked when they realize
just how many males are affected by these disorders, I know I was. Carol Sonenklar, a freelance
journalist who does research on eating disorders and aids, discussed a study done in 2006 by Harvard
University researchers. The study found that 25 percent of all anorexics are men, and 40 percent of all
bulimics are men as well (61). These numbers are relatively high for a disorder that many believe only
women suffer from and I believe it's important that we not only acknowledge, but that we take men
who suffer from eating disorders seriously.
What was once known as a white woman's disease, more recent research is being found that
there are many different kinds of people who suffer from eating disorders. A symptom for anorexia like
fear of fatness and wanting to be thin, focuses more on women than it does on men. According to
Sandra J. Judd, the author of the Depression Sourcebook and professional editor of the Eating
Disorders Sourcebook states, that a symptom of anorexia for a male could still be a fear of fat, but more
likely an obsession over a low body-fat percentage, and an obsession for a muscular body (130). Men
who are suffering from anorexia are exercising excessively which could prompt the abuse of

Emily Johnson

Emily 2

Professor Cole
English 2010
19 July 2016
substances, such as steroids. Men who do have anorexia, usually develop it when they are medically
overweight, whereas women are usually a normal size when they feel fat and begin to develop the
disorder (Judd 130).
When we think of eating disorders, we probably associate harsh dieting along with it. Women
have very different reasons to excessively diet than men do, like the appeal of the runway models and
celebrities on magazine covers. The reasons men usually begin a harsh diet is to also prevent weight
gain but to also excel in sports when weight is crucial to performance, like wrestling. They may also
diet to improve their appearance after being teased in childhood and to try and avoid health
complications (Judd 131). Many males who develop an eating disorder, usually starts with healthy
ambitions, but then getting into shape can turn into an obsession. Kathryn Doyle, a journalist who
studied in depth of the research conducted by Dr. Erin C. Accuso, Andrea E. Kass and Daniel Le
Grange (http://www.jahonline.org/article/S1054-139X(15)00670-9/abstract) stated that studies have
shown that boys who develop an eating disorder typically are around the age of 13. Men are more
driven to change the shape of their bodies, not the thinness of them. They strive for unattainable
bodies- they want a muscular physique, still somewhat lean, six-pack, and huge biceps and triceps.
No only are men greatly affected by anorexia and bulimia, but all different types of males are,
including gay and bisexual men. Eating disorders are more prevalent in gay and bisexual men than in
heterosexual men (Judd 131). Many believe that why eating disorders may be more prevalent in gay
communities is because of the increased emphasis on attractiveness and physical physique, some also
think that the higher prevalence may be due to a higher number of people seeking treatment (Judd 132).
Either way, homosexuals males are developing eating disorders at a higher rate than heterosexual males

Emily Johnson

Emily 3

Professor Cole
English 2010
19 July 2016
(Sonenklar 65). Another group of males that are greatly impacted by eating disorders are athletes.
Athletes that feel a demanding pressure to be a certain weight or thinness have a higher chance
of developing an eating disorder. Wrestlers will try and lose weight quickly before a match which leads
to extreme and dangerous dieting and a very unhealthy obsession with their weight. Westling is a sport
that is known to have extreme demands. Many wrestlers develop extreme weight-cutting practices to
get their bodies where they need to be. For example, before weighing in for a match they may need to
restrict their fluids and food intake by fasting, using laxatives, exercising vigorously and even purging.
These extreme measures result in weight lose between 4 and 10 pounds within a matter of a few days
(Sonenklar 73). These practices can lead to an unhealthy obsession and unhealthy habits that lead to
anorexia and bulimia.
In contrast, many will still argue that women are more affected by eating disorders than males
are and that females have more pressure from society to look a certain way. Is it true that more women
suffer from an eating disorder? According to the National Eating Disorders Association, 5 to 10 million
girls/women suffer from eating disorders in the United States and 1 million men suffer (Sonenklar 20).
These numbers are drastically different, but an important criteria to remember is that more women seek
out treatment than men do. There is a stigma around eating disorders where males may feel more
embarrassed about admitting to their disorder than women do. If more men stepped out of shadows and
asked for help with their eating disorders, the numbers could be vastly different. It is also harder to
diagnose anorexia and bulimia with men- Women who stop their menstrual cycles are showing a clear
indication of an eating disorder, men however, don't have that same clear symptom (Sonenklar 63).
Even though the number of women in the US who suffer from eating disorders is drastically higher

Emily Johnson

Emily 4

Professor Cole
English 2010
19 July 2016
than the number of males, men actually have a great health risk from anorexia and bulimia. Men
naturally have less body fat than women do, so when their eating disorder develops, they lose muscle
and tissue quicker than women do (Sonenklar 65).
Society and social media have a huge impact on men and women alike. Society may say that
women feel more pressure from the media to be thin and perfect. However, men may not necessarily
feel pressured to be stick-thin, but they have unrealistic expectations all around them. Growing up they
may see their favorite superhero who also has an unrealistic muscular body type. They see tv stars and
actors who get casted as the hot throb or hero and they may begin to strive to look like them.
Especially in our society today, the media plays such a big role in many young peoples lives. Too many
young people think the number of followers you have and the number of likes you gets determines your
self worth. We as a society pay too much attention to body image and physical attractiveness and we
have created a standard that is realistically impossible for both men and women to actually obtain
leaving many men and women feeling like they aren't good enough.

Emily Johnson

Emily 5

Professor Cole
English 2010
19 July 2016
It is clear that eating disorders are universal. They can affect anyone, anywhere. I believe that is
is very important to take away the stigma that surrounds eating disorders. We need to stop thinking that
it is a woman's disease and start believing that it could affect both sexes equally. Eating disorders are
already hard to diagnose in males, the current standards that doctors use to make an eating disorder
diagnosis are designed for women, not men. We as a society, need to stop expecting men to not have
body image issues. In reality, they have problems with their body image just like woman do. Because
of this stigma and how we diagnose these disorder, it is leaving men who are suffering to continue to
suffer because they feel shame and guilt about their problem (Sonenklar 66).

Emily Johnson

Emily 6

Professor Cole
English 2010
19 July 2016
Works Cited
Carlat, Daniel J., Carlos A. Camargo, and David B. Herzog. "Eating disorders in males: a report on 135
patients." American Journal of Psychiatry 154.8 (1997): 1127-1132.
Doyle, Kathryn. "Medscape Log In." Medscape Log In. N.p., n.d. Web. 29 July 2016.
Judd, Sandra J. Eating Disorders Sourcebook Detroit, MI: Omnigraphics, 2011. Print.
Lample, Samuel S., and Jan Gillum. "Guys with Eating Disorders: How to Help." Journal of Christian
Nursing 27.3 (2010): 244-246.
Sonenklar, C. (2011). Anorexia and bulimia. Minneapolis: Twenty-First Century Books.