Eating Disorders in Men

Eating disorders are very rare in men, but can occur not only at young ages but also in older age. Symptoms are partly the same in men as in women, but can also differ (especially in the case of anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa). Typical are premorbid overweight, extreme body dissatisfaction, and an increased proportion of homo- or bisexuality. The still strong female association with disturbed eating behavior often leads male sufferers to deny their symptoms and consequently not seek treatment. On the side of professionals, there is often a failure to recognize the symptoms or a tendency for misdiagnoses. Binge eating disorder, as the third main eating disorder, has a significantly higher proportion of men than anorexia and bulimia nervosa and is often associated with overweight. “Muscularity-oriented disordered eating” has emerged as a new male-specific form of eating disorder.