Adolescent Males and Eating Disorders

"Remember, eating disorders have only one kind of victim: people; they afflict males and females alike." (Anderson, A. (1990). Males and Eating Disorders. Philadelphia, PA: Taylor & Francis.)

Approximately 4% to 10% of individuals with an eating disorder are male. It is becoming commonly recognized within the medical and psychological professions that boys and adult men struggle with anorexia, bulimia and binge eating. Even with professional recognition there remains a misconception within our culture that eating disorders are a "girls" disease. To help dispel this misconception it is important to recognize a couple of general differences between the genders.

Generally speaking males who develop an eating disorder tend to be either thin and lean or overweight prior to the eating disorder. Many have been harassed or shamed by family or their peers for various reasons. Others are athletes who begin "dieting" to become "healthier" or achieve some perceived athletic gain. Their "daily diet" then becomes out of control often due to extreme eating habits, the physiologic impact and the lack of appropriate nutrition education.

In treatment males respond well to a "solution focused" therapeutic approach that identifies the cause and effect process of the eating disorder's development. Once these are identified, males tend to set goals with objectives which they implement to "fix" the problem. Males tend to avoid expressing the emotional features related to the eating disorder in larger group formats, yet seem to "open up" when participating in individual therapy sessions.

Some common symptoms both males and females experience may include weight fluctuations, dizziness, heart arrhythmias, mood swings, irrational thinking, unusual eating behaviors, isolation and disturbed sleep. Each of these may be caused by the natural processes of malnutrition. Due to the severity of these and other physical symptoms which can lead to death, it is critical that males be evaluated by a primary care physician and an eating disorder specialist for an accurate diagnosis.

It is important to note that each individual male who develops an eating disorder may or may not identify with the general statements listed above. At Center for Discovery we provide individualized treatment due to the variety of factors that contribute to an eating disorder. Through the individualized treatment approach, each person is able to identify his or her specific reasons why the eating disorder developed.

Center for Discovery provides a safe and accepting atmosphere for young males struggling with anorexia, bulimia and binge eating. Each resident works with our professional staff to identify the developmental features of their eating disorder. During treatment they have the opportunity to understand the consequences of the eating disorder and develop a plan to decrease its effects