Eating Disorders Blog

According to an article appearing this week in The New York Times, recent research indicates that men who are gay, or who are involved in certain occupations such as flight attendants, actors, members of the military, and athletes (especially gymnasts and wrestlers), may be at higher risk for eating disorders than males in the general population. Some research also indicates that gay men who have eating disorders may be more likely to have suffered physical or sexual abuse as a child.

Experts are just beginning to study the phenomenon of eating disorders in men. Approximately 10 to 11 percent of eating disorder patients in the U.S. are male. Like women, millions of men suffer from body image conflicts, compulsive exercise habits, weight obsession and related psychiatric problems, such as obsessive-compulsive disorder.

Men are more likely, though, to use steroids and lose weight with a goal of being "cut" or building massive amounts of muscle, a condition sometimes referred to as "reverse anorexia." Men experience the same detrimental health effects from eating disorders that women do, including increased risk of severe osteoporosis.

(Source: www.nytimes.com)

Labels: eating disorder, sexual orientation, males

Posted By: Aspen Education Group