Eating Disorders in men

In the past decade, Eating disorders in young girls have come to the center of attention. The culture's messages about the ideal body and the pressure for those that participate in certain activities such as dance to have an ideal shape and size have led young girls to starve themselves to "perfection". What many people don't realize is that girls are not the only ones affected by this extreme health hazard. An estimated 10-15 percent of those that suffer anorexia are men. The pressure to have the ideal body as well as job stress, and pressure to succeed, has led many males to starve themselves, though this is typically seen as a female problem.

The fact that this is commonly viewed as an issue for women is a contributing factor to the silence of men suffering with anorexia. Many of the men that have anorexia are homosexuals as well. For straight men, this means that many remain silent about their problem so as not to be seen as gay. Though this is indeed a justifiable consideration, research shows that this is not only an issue for homosexuals and women as according to Sondra Kronberg, MS, RD, CDN, though not all take extreme action through eating disorders, as many as 25 percent of the US male population are on diets, and 41 percent are dissatisfied with their bodies. Many of the causes of anorexia in men are in fact the same as those of women but the male role in society has communicated that it may not be acceptable for men to express an outward struggle.

Causes for Anorexia in men include sports (particularly those that involve a weight limit such as wrestling), particular personality traits (such as perfectionism, impulsive behaviors, or anxiety), obesity, and even family issues. This may not even mean a a guy has a particular interest in his appearance, but obsessing over food intake can be a way of demonstrating some control in life when a man feels that he cannot have control anywhere else. Dealing with eating disorders in men, as in women, involves not only ensuring proper amounts of food intake. It involves dealing with the heart of the issue: the pressure, stress, or life issues that have caused it.

sources:

Esterbrook, John. "More Men Facing Eating Disorders - CBS News." Breaking News Headlines: Business, Entertainment & World News - CBS News. 25 Oct. 2005. Web. 06 Dec. 2010.

Hull, Bill. "News & Headlines From Around The World » Increase of Eating Disorders in Males – Health News." News & Headlines From Around The World. 1 Dec. 2010. Web. 06 Dec. 2010.

"Issues for Men with Eating Disorders." Something Fishy Website on Eating Disorders. Web. 06 Dec. 2010. .