Eating Disorders:
No Longer Just For Girls

Stereotyping occurs every day in the United States. No matter how many men break the mold, many of us continue to associate certain profession-such as nurse or school teacher-with women. The same holds true for certain diseases, especially those that are psychiatric in nature. For years, we associated eating disorders with the rich or famous. After all, it was the plight of models and celebrities that obtained most of the media coverage. In time, we finally grew used to the idea that eating disorders are equal-opportunity illnesses, now occurring in every facet of society. No culture, ethnicity, or socio-economic group was immune. But no matter what segment of society, our stereotype remained definite on one point: eating disorders happened to females. Once, with more than ten million women and girls struggling with anorexia and bulimia, this stereotype seemed fairly accurate.

Not anymore. For years, it was estimated that approximately 10% of eating disorder patients were male; today, that number may fast be approaching 25%. Indeed, eating disorders in boys and young men are steadily on the rise. These disorders often manifest in boys the same way as in girls, often triggered by similar issues. Ever increasingly, boys are driven by perfectionism and the need to achieve their version of the perfect masculine physique.

In the case of anorexia, a boy places an embargo on many food groups, such as carbohydrates or anything containing sugar. From there, he may cut out meat altogether for "health" reasons. He is unlikely to say he is dieting, since that is seemingly such a girl thing to do. Regardless of how he goes about it, his weight drops to a dangerously low level. With bulimia, he embarks on the same regimen of binging and purging that a girl would engage in. Boys utilize the same methods of purging, though they are more likely to use exercise as a compensatory behavior. Perhaps the disorder that is experiencing the greatest growth in the male population is binge-eating disorder, or BED. This disorder, in which huge quantities of food are consumed when hunger is not present, is much like bulimia, except that purging is not involved. Today, it is estimated that 40% of those struggling with BED are male. This translates into millions of people. Engaging in this behavior can be very dangerous over time, in part due to the large weight gain often associated with this disorder. If left unchecked, an overweight boy will undoubtedly turn into an overweight adult, with all the commensurate health issues such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and Type 2 diabetes.

It is extremely important for parents and all members of the healthcare field to understand that eating disorders are no longer exclusive to females. Indeed, ReddStone, A Remuda program for boys under age 18, was created exclusively to treat boys struggling with anorexia, bulimia or binge-eating disorder. If you know a boy or young man who may be suffering from an eating disorder, please call Remuda Ranch at 1-800-445-1900 today.