Eating Disorders in Men
As we wrap up Men’s Health Week and prepare to celebrate the fathers in our lives, we wanted to take a minute to explore the topic of eating disorders in men.
As we covered in our Eating Disorder Myths and Facts blog, eating disorders affect both men and women. Approximately 4.07% of males will have an eating disorder at some point in their lives (1). Additionally, eating disorders are often missed in males, due to stigma and lack of understanding, and the prevalence of eating disorders is increasing at a faster rate in males than females. Eating disorders in boys and men currently make up about a third of those diagnosed.
Historically, men have been excluded from research studies and diagnostic criteria on eating disorders. In fact, the release of the fifth edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders in May of 2013 was the first time amenorrhea (loss of menstrual cycle) was removed from the criteria for anorexia nervosa. This allowed boys and men to be able to receive an accurate diagnosis.
Eating disorders in men are often missed due to not meeting the standard criteria for diagnosis. While some boys and men experience traditional eating disorder presentation, many do not, and thus, do not get the help they need until much later, if at all. Many men with eating disorders experience disordered eating that doesn’t fit a typical diagnosis. Muscle dysmorphia, sometimes called “bigorexia,” is more prevalent in boys and men. Muscle dysmorphia is demonstrated by excessive and/or compulsive weight training and exercise, with beliefs that one isn’t muscular enough. There is a fixation on muscle mass, size, and leanness.
The need for better understanding, diagnostic criteria, treatment options, and a reduction in stigma is critical. In males with eating disorders, there is a 6-8 times higher risk of mortality than in those without an eating disorder (13). It can be difficult for males to seek help in a world that is very female-centric, both with the patients and the providers. And treatment for males can be different than that for females. For example, males with anorexia generally have low levels of both testosterone and vitamin D, and may need supplementation. Males with eating disorders are also more likely to use growth enhancing medications, like steroids, and treatment needs to take this into account.
The team at Namaste Nourished is educated in treatment of eating disorders for all people, whether female, male, transgender, or somewhere in between. If you have concerns about yourself or a loved one, please reach out to us. We can help answer questions, offer support, and provide you with resources so that the men in your life can feel their best. And on behalf of the team at Namaste Nourished, Happy Father’s Day to all the dads out there.
References
Deloitte Access Economics. (2020, June). The Social and Economic Cost of Eating Disorders in the United States of America: A Report for the Strategic Training Initiative for the Prevention of Eating Disorders and the Academy for Eating Disorders. Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. https://www.hsph.harvard.edu/striped/report-economic-costs-of-eating-disorders/.
Gorrell, S.,& Murray, S. B. (2019). Eating disorders in males. Child and Adolescent Psychiatric Clinics of North America, 28(4), 641–651. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chc.2019.05.012
Halbeisen, G., Laskowski, N., Brandt, G., Waschescio, U., & Paslakis, G. (2024). Eating Disorders in Men. Deutsches Arzteblatt international, 121(3), 86–91. https://doi.org/10.3238/arztebl.m2023.0246
Mitchison, D., Mond, J., Bussey, K., et al. DSM-5 full syndrome, other specified, and unspecified eating disorders in Australian adolescents: prevalence and clinical significance. Psychological Medicine. 2020;50(6):981-990. doi:10.1017/S0033291719000898
Monte Nido. (2025, June 18). Understanding Male Eating Disorders: Unique Challenges and Insights. Monte Nido Blog. https://www.montenido.com/blog/male-eating-disorders-signs-treatment-statistics
National Eating Disorders Association. Eating Disorders in Men and Boys. NEDA. https://www.nationaleatingdisorders.org/eating-disorders-in-men-and-boys/#blog_posts
Novotney, A. (2024, October 1). Unrecognized eating disorders in boys and young men. Monitor on Psychology, 55(7). https://www.apa.org/monitor/2024/10/eating-disorders-boys-men
Quadflieg, N., Strobel, C., Naab, S., Voderholzer, U., & Fichter, M. M. (2019). Mortality in males treated for an eating disorder—a large prospective study. International Journal of Eating Disorders, 52(12), 1365–1369. https://doi.org/10.1002/eat.23135
Vo, M., Accurso, E.C., Goldschmidt, A.B. and Le Grange, D. (2017), The Impact of DSM-5 on Eating Disorder Diagnoses. Int. J. Eat. Disord., 50: 578-581. https://doi.org/10.1002/eat.22628