More Males With Eating Disorders

There are now more males with eating disorders who are reporting or admitting to eating disorder experiences. Behavior analysts assert that the issue about vanity and ideal body weight is beginning to affect the male population also. People are normally used to women who are desperate to lose excessive weight because they want to achieve petite figures that are often see in fashion and beauty magazines.

Looks like now, people need to get used to the fact that men are also getting desperate to lose excess body mass and get those six-pack abs often seen in health and fashion magazines for men.

Some experts are alarmed that today, it is estimated that about one in every 10 young male adults has eating disorders. More surprisingly is the figure that about 25% of male children in the United States alone are diagnosed with early onsets of anorexia nervosa, a common eating disorder problems wherein a person tends to resist the urge to eat due to fear of getting obese. Many experts even warn that such statistics may still be conservative and inaccurate. This is because men are naturally secretive and are not likely to seek professional help especially when it comes to issues concerning vanity and weight management.

A number of psychiatrists from all over the world are supporting the notion that a growing number of guys are increasingly being dissatisfied with their current bodies. More young heterosexual men are currently falling prey to bulimia (another eating disorder wherein a person forces food out of stomach by inducing vomiting) and anorexia. In worse cases, males with eating disorders are often misdiagnosed to have schizophrenia and depression, which are less likely to be provided proper and formal treatment. By the time such men get the right treatment, their condition could be harder to manage.

Experts are calling for increased awareness among men about the pitfalls of excessive dieting as well as eating disorder. Treatment for eating disorders should, therefore, address not just mostly the female population, but also the male population as well. Men who think they might be suffering from the condition should immediately recognize the possibility and seek professional help right away. Although uncontrolled eating is not advised, over-regulating of eating patterns should be prevented.

It would be better if men would start honoring their uniqueness and individuality instead of aiming to be among those skinny male models with great abs and muscles. Early detection and treatment will help respond to the problem of increased number of males with eating disorders.