Males suffering from Eating Disorders is on the Rise

Until I had met Kathy and heard of her son’s struggles, I had never heard of Male Anorexia. Also known as Manorexia.

Manorexia is the male preoccupation with extreme thinness. It occurs when a person becomes psychologically obsessed with any visible quantity of fat tissue and exercises, diets, drinks, or uses drugs compulsively in an intentional attempt to get thinner.

The term Bigorexia was coined to reflect the dissatisfaction with lack of body muscle. This psychological disorder in males is denoted by obsession with their body image, usually musculature. Manorexics often resort to compulsive weight lifting, use of dietary supplements, or steroids in an attempt to build muscle mass to look "perfect". The end result of uncontrolled Manorexia is grotesquely large muscles.

Men that are suffering from eating disorders is on the rise.

There are several significant obstacles to treating men with eating disorders. Because male eating disorders do not tend to fit prevailing social perceptions, men are less likely to recognize their own problems. The social stigma around eating disorders may be stronger for males. Males are more reluctant to admit that they are suffering, and may worry that they will be seen as feminine for having an eating disorder. These factors make males more reluctant to seek help. In-patient treatment programs for males are rare. In addition, it can be difficult for a man to find a program that offers male-only group therapy and rehabilitation activities. Experts have found that eating disorders are best treated in same-sex only settings; emotional issues relevant to these disorders tend to be gender-specific, and men may be particularly embarrassed to discuss their concerns in front of women.

Common signs of anorexia include:

 Poor body image
 Decreased sexual desire
 Frequent exercise
 Depression
 Performing food rituals
 Perfectionist behaviors
 Electrolyte disturbances
 Isolating oneself
 Thinning hair
 Low body weight
 Obsessive-compulsiveness
 Inability to eat with others
 Fatigue, weak muscles

Complications which specifically affect male anorexia include the fact that men with anorexia lose more muscle and tissue than women, who will instead lose body fat. The fact that muscle and tissue is more often lost in men is very detrimental to the body. This makes male anorexia far more dangerous than most cases of female anorexia.

Scientists are only beginning to understand how a myriad of factors interact to cause eating disorders. Family and twin studies coupled with recent advances in genetic research indicate that heredity is responsible for about 50% of the risk of developing Anorexia Nervosa with the environment responsible for the other half. Genetic links have also been seen between Anorexia Nervosa and Bulimia Nervosa, Anorexia and Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, and eating disorders and mood disorders.

Or is it a family issue? At most, genetics is only half the story: there are a number of factors that occur in a person’s life that puts them at greater risk to develop an eating disorder. A history of feeding problems as an infant, childhood obesity or excessive thinness, and fad dieting all may contribute. Severe life stress involving family members or close friends frequently occur in the year before a person develops an eating disorder. Childhood trauma and preoccupation by family members on the importance of weight and appearance may also contribute. If mom, dad, or a sibling is constantly dieting and obsessing about her or his weight, it can cause a young girl to begin obsessing about her own weight. If talk in the house is continually focused around eating and weight, it stands to reason that a young person will begin to continually think about eating and weight.

Nowadays men are increasingly more aware of their bodies. While in the past, men tended not to worry about their bodies as long as they were strong enough to do needed work. Today men are bombarded with images of the perfectly muscled man-leaving many feeling that they fall short. This increased cultural pressure for a Brad Pitt/Mark Wahlberg body could contribute to males developing eating disorders in connection with athletic performance. As in the case of Kathy’s son. They typically obsess about their percentage of body fat. They develop food phobias based on what will and won't give them a competitive edge. This fixation with performance often leads them to other drastic measures such as steroids and compulsive exercise. In addition, athletic teams and coaches often encourage unhealthy eating and exercise practices as a part of physical conditioning. Sports that require weigh-ins, such as wrestling, boxing, and crew, are the most susceptible to extreme eating and exercise regimens. Males may choose to go along with these habits, rather than risk being labeled weak or a wimp.

Historically, eating disorders have been almost exclusively associated with females. Advertising and mass media, create a pervasive dissatisfaction in women about their bodies. On the one hand, magazines and televisions are filled with advertisements for fast food and junk food. On the other hand, those same magazines and televisions inundate us with images of the “super-thin” super model, movie star, television star, or rock star. Consequently, girls often have an unhealthy or inaccurate opinion about their bodies. Feeling pressure to be thin increases the likelihood of binge eating and bulimic symptoms. Certain personality traits have been considered as risk factors for developing an eating disorder. Perfectionism is the one most often linked to “a relentless pursuit of the thin ideal” and there are cultural factors that emphasize thinness as part of the ideal appearance of women. Imagery often reinforced by the media play into such thinking.

While eating disorders have long been considered primarily a woman's disease, when combined with the lack of male specific eating disorder treatment programs only reinforces this idea. And because some research suggests that those males with eating disorders are predominantly homosexual, some heterosexual men worry about being identified as such if they seek medical help. It is clear that once an eating disorder takes hold, the individual is likely to report low self esteem and an overwhelming need for control. Weight loss and thinness define their sense of self worth.

Possible Causes of Male Anorexia

Genetics – If someone in your immediate family has struggled with anorexia, then your chances of developing the disorder increase greatly. Also, certain personality types are more likely to develop eating disorders than others. For example, perfectionists are more likely to develop an eating disorder than their counterparts. In fact, perfectionism is the leading cause of male anorexia. Perfectionism leads to the desire to be right, accepted, and in control – all of which can be the primary causes of male anorexia. The cause of male anorexia in perfectionists is the actual desire to reach perfection and the erroneous belief that being thin, or perfect, will lead to happiness. High anxiety levels, obsessive-compulsive behaviors and depression are also possible causes of male anorexia.

Brain Activity – Further research has indicated that another cause of male anorexia can be traced back to the brain’s dopamine receptors, which regulate pleasure. When a male with anorexia under eats, the brain dispenses feelings of euphoria. In this way food is used a type of anti-depressant as it relieves any anxious thoughts.

Family – Another emotional factor which causes male anorexia is the presence of family issues. Some males with eating disorders report feeling smothered by their families. Yet others felt abandoned and misunderstood. Still more had parents who overemphasized their physical appearances. In these families, the cause of the male anorexia is the fact that the individual learned to keep doubts, fears, anxieties and imperfections hidden.

Society – Cultural pressures to be thin and the portrayal of thin individuals on television are also underlying causes of male anorexia. The continual barrage of ads containing thin, happy people inevitably sends the message that happiness can only be found by being thin.

Manorexia or Bigorexia? No matter what the term, males with eating disorders aren't seeking help for this problem at nearly the same rate as women are. One of the reasons could be that men aren't as aware of the symptoms of an eating disorder, as women typically are and may attribute their own eating issues to other problems, such as not paying enough attention to diet or drinking too much. Friends and even health professionals may not consider an eating disorder in a man who has lost significant weight, either.

What is certain is that their struggles with body image, eating disorders, extreme dieting, and excessive exercise are real. This issue needs to be brought out in the open. The silence and secrecy about male eating disorders needs to be better understood in order to provide appropriate prevention and treatment for males at risk—and it must be available.
With on-going treatment, support and care, recovery is possible. Left untreated, male anorexia can be devastating and deadly.

Resources include:

The Invisible Man: A Self-help Guide for Men With Eating Disorders, Compulsive Exercise and Bigorexia by John F. Morgan

Making Weight: Healing Men's Conflicts with Food, Weight, and Shape written by M.D. Arnold Andersen and co-authored by Dr Thomas Holbrook, who is an eating disorder expert who shares his personal struggle and recovery.

The National Eating Disorder Information Centre www.nedic.ca

North York General Hospital offers an Eating Disorders Program for adolescents aged 12-18, and a program for adults aged 19 and older as part of a collaborative initiative with the Toronto General Hospital's (TGH) Eating Disorders Program, part of the University Health Network and offers a partial hospitalization program for patients with diagnosed anorexia and bulimia nervosa.