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The rise of male eating disorders

Thoughtful Talk confidentially to Samaritans any time of the day or night.

Whatever you're going through, whether it's big or small, don't bottle it up. We are here for you if you're worried about something, feel upset or confused, or just want to talk to someone.

Eating disorders among men are on the rise, with recent NHS findings showing that as many as a quarter of people who suffer from eating disorders are male.

The NHS Information Centre (NHS IC) research - The Adult Psychiatric Morbidity Survey 2007 - published last month, surveyed 7,461 people in England over 16. It found that an alarming 6.4 per cent of adults had a problem with food, a figure much higher than previously thought.

Females are ten times more likely than males to suffer from anorexia or bulimia, according to the Royal College of Psychiatrists. However, the NHS research suggests that eating disorders are becoming more common in boys and men.

Eating disorders in men can take different forms to those in women, as they "tend to be more focused on body image," Mary George from eating disorder charity Beat, said. She explained that "visits to the gym become obsessive as does the desire to change body shape – this then becomes accompanied by controlling calorie intake which leads to a full blown eating disorder."

Common disorders

The most common forms of eating disorder are anorexia nervosa, where individuals starve themselves and excessively exercise to lose weight, and bulimia, in which they binge on food and then purge through vomiting or laxative use. Anorexia accounts for around one in ten cases in adults, according to figures from the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE), whereas bulimia accounts for a third of all cases, with other disorders such as compulsive eating making up the rest.

The disorders can range in severity and can be a major cause of serious psychological distress. The physical impact of a disorder such as anorexia can be devastating, resulting in drastic weight loss, low mood, a loss of periods in women, and in more acute cases, heart problems and osteoporosis.

In its eating disorder guidelines, NICE states that some studies have identified eating disorders as having the highest mortality rate of all mental disorders, illustrating the potential severity of these disorders.

A taboo subject

"Many men don't realise that they have an eating disorder and are reluctant to seek help when they do feel they have a problem," commented Beat's Mary George on why eating disorders are usually associated with women.

The silence surrounding male anorexia and bulimia has meant the issue has become something of a taboo subject, but it was cast under the spotlight last year when former deputy prime minister, John Prescott, admitted that he had suffered from bulimia in the past.

Following Mr Prescott's revelation, Ms George said the charity's helplines "had ten times the normal number of calls for men who hadn't realised they had an eating disorder until then."

The authors of the NHS survey concluded that although research into male eating disorders was expanding, "men with eating disorders are a group that have been neglected in research, policy and clinical practice in this area".

A complex issue – for both sexes

Problems with food can begin when it is used to cope with those times when someone is bored, anxious, angry, lonely, ashamed or sad, or when it is used as a crutch to help relieve painful situations, says Beat.

The recent tragic death of 18 year-old Alice Rae refocuses from beyond the statistics the very real and human cost of anorexia. Alice died in January of this year; found dead in bed by her mother at the family home in Houghton, Hampshire, after battling with anorexia.

The fashion industry has come under recent scrutiny for its promotion of 'size zero' models and the message this gives out to young women about body image. But specialists, such as the National Centre for Eating Disorders, suggest reasons why someone should develop an eating disorder are complex, and each case is individual. Factors such as low self-esteem, family relationships, problems with friends, dealing with grief, problems at work or university, or sexual or emotional abuse can all play a part.

Help at hand?

Eating disorders are serious mental health issues and can be very distressing for both those with the disorder and their families, as studies show.

According to a report published by Beat in February 2008 entitled Failing Families?, 79 per cent of families surveyed said that an eating disorder had caused lasting damage to their lives. Relationship breakdown; problems at work caused by the need to take time off to provide care and support; damage to friendships and social life and a negative impact on other children in the family were all listed as factors.

Despite NICE guidance advising that "families and carers should be informed of self help and support groups and offered the opportunity to participate in such groups", Beat's survey found that only 12 per cent of families felt they had access to the amount of support they needed and 23 per cent had no support at all.

The NHS survey reinforces this need for improved support and treatment of those with eating disorders, finding that four in five adults (81 per cent) who screened positive for an eating disorder were not receiving any counseling, medication or therapy for a mental or emotional problem.

In response to the NHS report findings, Conservative health spokesperson Anne Milton said: "These figures are shocking. We are failing to get across to young people today the dangers they face when they abuse food. At one end of the scale we have some frightening statistics on obesity and on the other end of the scale we have many people suffering from this tragic illness."

For men or women who are experiencing emotional distress due to an eating or body-image problem – Samaritans offers impartial and non-judgmental support 24 hours a day by phone 08457 909090 (GB), or 1850 609090 (ROI), email jo@samaritans.org or face to face; visit http://www.samaritans.org/ to find your local branch.