Seemingly against stereotype, eating disorders in boys and young men now represent about one-third of total diagnoses. This change challenges the long-standing assumption that eating disorders singularly affect women. With progressively more open minds, providers are now conducting closer examinations of the symptoms that manifest differently in male youths and young adults. Numerous professionals point to the onslaught of social media as the culprit.

Key Findings:

Diagnoses are on the rise across the spectrum as new research indicates that while women are experiencing eating disorders at a higher rate in the 2020’s, occurrences among boys and men are of an increasing statistical significance.
ON disordered relationships with food, men are particularly more likely to be diagnosed with anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, and/or an avoidant/restrictive food intake disorder (ARFID).
The highest occurring condition in the study, colloquially known as “bigorexia,” involves compulsive exercise and an obsession with muscle size, with higher occurrence amongst adolescent boys. A study found that 25% of young men ages 16 to 25 reported concerns about not being muscular enough, with 11% using muscle-building products.

Key Points:

Stigma and Diagnosis Challenges:
Timely diagnosis is often hindered for boys and men in the face of stigma and misconceptions. Unique symptom presentations—such as excessive exercise and a self-driven focus on muscularity rather than thinness—can lead to frequent misdiagnosis. When misdiagnosed, providers typically point to depression.

Historical Exclusion:
Boys have been historically excluded from research on eating disorders. The removal of the amenorrhea (absence of a menstrual period) criterion from the anorexia diagnosis in 2013 marked a crucial step in recognizing male patients. Current diagnostic tools still focus on symptoms common to women, often missing typical masculine-perfoming behaviors like excessive protein consumption and steroid use.

The Role of Social Media:
Cited by the APA, social media can perpetuate harmful ideals and a hyper-awareness of male body image. More troubling, platforms appear to be promoting unrealistic standards of masculinity and muscularity. (https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC11276240/)

Detection and Treatment of Eating Disorders in Boys and Young Men:

Look out for the key warning signs including:

Excessive exercise
Rigid food routines
Intense fear of weight gain
Preoccupation with body weight and shape

Tailoring Treatment:
Although treatment for eating disorders in boys can mirror that of girls, clinicians are recommended to adaptuse language and concepts that resonate more closely with these young male patients. Rather, they are told to focus on terms like “fitter” and “more defined,” as opposed to the standing phrases used to diagnose women.

Conclusion

Spreading awareness is the first step in combating eating disorders amongst boys and young men. Disordered eating knows no stigma against gender, race, or nationality. Offering initiatives in schools and extracurricular programming can help challenge harmful cultural standards and promote healthier body image ideals by example to young men and boys at higher risk. As researchers continue to advocate for male-inclusive studies and larger sample sizes from men in broad disordered eating research, a need for targeted interventions remains critical in improving outcomes for this “fringe” population in the eating disorder community.

For more information and resources on recognizing and treating eating disorders in boys and young men, click below.

Sources: https://www.apa.org/monitor/2024/10/eating-disorders-boys-men
Secondary Citation: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC11276240/