Men are oft considered infallible in many things. An eating disorder is one such matter. In fear of busting the macho image, men quietly suffer it while the social fabric around us frames a stigma they can’t overcome. It’s high time we addressed this facade of lies and call a spade a spade.
An eating disorder is almost a mental illness marked with an obsession with excessive eating, exercise and body weight or shape. This disturbing fixation is always inclined to be connected with youth and females, but men are also victims of unusual thoughts and behaviours involving food and weight. The National Association for Males with Eating Disorders estimates that 25 to 40 per cent of people with all eating disorders are males.
Male eating disorder behaviours include binge eating, purging, laxative abuse, and fasting for weight loss and are prevalent among men as they are among women. These behaviours affect your body’s ability to get appropriate nutrition and can harm the heart, digestive system, bones, and teeth and mouth, and lead to other diseases.
While eating disorders may first appear to be solely about food and weight preoccupations, those suffering from them often try to use food to cope with feelings and emotions that are overwhelming. For some, dieting, bingeing and purging may begin as a way to cope with painful emotions and to feel in control of one’s life. Ultimately, these behaviours damage a person’s physical and emotional health, self-esteem and sense of competence and control.
Signs Of Male Eating Disorders
The tell-tale signs of male eating disorders are usually ignored. When a guy is perturbed with his body image, it is time we notice what’s going wrong with him. He gets obsessed with calculating the calories and is more preoccupied with food, nutrition, and exercise. Intense fear of gaining weight can be seen in his attitude to food. Act quickly if you know someone struggling with an eating disorder, depression, anxiety, self-esteem challenges, or unresolved emotional needs. There are several factors contributing to it.
Psychological Factors
It is found that low self-esteem, feelings of inadequacy, lack of control in life, depression, anxiety, anger, stress or loneliness can contribute to eating disorders in men. Other factors such as a troubled personal relationship, difficulty expressing emotions and feelings, history of being teased or ridiculed based on size or weight and history of physical or sexual abuse can also exacerbate the situation.
Cultural Pressures
The sociocultural idealisation of thinness is another environmental factor. Cultural pressures that glorify ‘thinness’ or muscularity and place value on obtaining the ‘perfect body’ are completely perturbing. About 79% of weight-loss programme participants reported coping with weight stigma by eating more food. The narrow definitions of beauty usually include only women and men of specific body weights and shapes. Up to 37% of overweight boys are teased about their weight by peers or family members. Weight teasing predicts weight gain, binge eating, and extreme weight control measures.
Weight Stigma
Cultural norms value people on the basis of physical appearance and disregard inner qualities and strengths. Weight-based victimisation among overweight youths has been linked to lower levels of physical activity, negative attitudes about sports, and lower participation in physical activity among overweight students. Among overweight and obese adults, those who experience weight-based stigmatisation and engage in frequent binge eating are at increased risk for eating disorder symptoms.
Children of mothers who are overly concerned about their weight are also responsible for moulding their unhealthy attitudes and behaviours. Weight stigma poses a significant threat to psychological and physical health. It has been documented as a risk factor for depression, low self-esteem, and body dissatisfaction.
Excessive Exercise
Many men have misguided ideas about their weight and physique, particularly the importance of muscularity. Most males would like to be lean and muscular, which typically represents the ‘ideal; male body type. Exposure to macho images in the media also leads to male body dissatisfaction. The sexual objectification of men and the internalisation of media images predict the drive for muscularity.
Muscle dysmorphia is an emerging condition that primarily affects male bodybuilders. Such individuals obsess about being adequately muscular. Compulsions include spending many hours in the gym, squandering excessive amounts of money on supplements, abnormal eating patterns, or use of steroids. A recent study says 22% of young men turn to dangerous means to bulk up muscle with disordered eating behaviours.
How To Treat Eating Disorders In Men
All factors should be taken into consideration to provide an effective treatment. Studies suggest that the risk of mortality for males with eating disorders is higher than it is for females – early intervention is critical.
A gender-sensitive approach with recognition of different needs and dynamics for males is critical. While there are no specific treatments for eating disorders in males, they seem to respond well to the same treatments that have been successful for females with eating disorders. Especially cognitive behavioural therapy for adults and family-based treatment for adolescents and young adults. Family-based treatment has also been successfully applied to adolescent muscle dysmorphia. Such treatment may focus more on limiting exercise and preventing excessive protein intake than on weight gain.
In the United States alone, eating disorders affect 10 million males at some point in their lives. But due in large part to cultural bias, they are much less likely to seek treatment for their eating disorder. It is important that the family members or those dear to him need to notice and find help immediately. Men and boys with anorexia nervosa usually exhibit low levels of testosterone and vitamin D, and they have a high risk of osteopenia and osteoporosis. Testosterone supplementation is often recommended.