Ryan Sheldon, 34, who leads the ambassador program at the National Eating Disorders Association, had struggled with weight-related problems since he was eight years old. Those problems developed into eating disorders. But he had trouble convincing his family that it was indeed an issue. He even had difficulty identifying and getting help because of the stereotype that eating disorders only happen among girls. The misconception about any male eating disorder is harmful and untrue.
Professor Stuart Murray, director of Translational Research in Eating Disorders Laboratory, said that around 1 in 3 eating disorders would affect men or boys. In the US alone, 10 million males will experience eating disorders at some point in their lives.
As the organization starts its awareness campaign or National Eating Disorder Week, experts reveal how eating disorders affect men and boys. Experts also shared why males are often left out of the picture.
What is an eating disorder?
Many people think that eating disorders are seen in women and girls who restrict food, cautiously binge, or exercise excessively.
“Men can experience disorders, too,” Dr. Blake Woodside of Toronto General Hospital said. But men also feel pressure to a few masculine body images dictated by society. Dr. Woodside said that includes stereotypes for a muscular superhero and the lanky computer geek.
Some of those standards urge men to limit their calorie count. Professor Murray said that others do the opposite and encourage extreme workouts, overloading protein and heavily restricting nutrients like fats and carbs.
Why are they challenging to treat?
Why aren’t we aware of eating disorders if men are so affected by eating disorders? Stigma and exclusion.
Anorexia nervosa was first identified in boys and girls in the 19th century. However, Murray said boys were excluded from the research and the diagnostic measures.
Physical changes and loss of menstruation were crucial for identifying eating disorders, Murray explained. Although the criteria have changed, he added that men and boys are still excluded from most research into eating disorders.
That exclusion often leads to stigma with men and boys and those around them. Murray also said that male eating disorder is often promoted in social media. Celebrities and influencers post their excessive workouts, photos of their bodies, and cheat day meals.
Regardless of gender, almost every doctor would classify that behavior as bulimia. In men, “we see it as a sort of prosocial way of becoming more muscular,” Murray said.
What we can do
Many families and family doctors still aren’t aware of the signs of eating disorders in boys and men. Dr. Woodside narrated that teen boys are human locusts who often knock every bite of food in their path. If you have a friend or family member who’s suddenly changed their eating habits, they deserve attention, he said.
If the men or boys in your life are making noticeable changes to the activities and relationships, it might be a warning sign.
From there, there is good news and bad news.
The bad news is “the eating disorder field has to treat them based on treatment studies that included only females,” Murray said.
But the good news is that men and boys often do well when treated for their eating disorders, Woodside said.
At one point, Sheldon had lost his job, money, and relationships because of his eating disorder. It took years of specialized treatment and support groups to get his body and life back on track. Now, he is sharing his journey to help men and boys like him by being an active ambassador of the National Eating Disorders Association.
