There’s long been a stereotypical image of what an eating disorder looks like. And usually, it looks like a severely underweight teenage girl. But eating disorders can affect anyone.
Nearly 29 million people in the U.S. struggle with some type of eating disorder during their lives. And it’s estimated that about 25% of those people are male.
While eating disorders are still less common in boys than girls, they are on the rise. And because the signs don’t always look like what you’d expect, boys often don’t get the treatment they need.
Common eating disorders in boys
Like girls, boys may engage in a variety of restrictive or disordered eating behaviors. These can include:
- Anorexia nervosa, which can include severe caloric restriction, excessive exercise and distorted body image
- Bulimia, when bingeing is accompanied by purging behaviors (self-induced vomiting, laxatives, fasting or excessive exercise)
- Binge-eating disorder, in which people regularly binge large amounts of food and feel a loss of control (but do not purge)
Unlike girls, boys are much more likely to experience muscularity-related eating disorders and body image issues. The most common is muscle dysmorphia, also called “bigorexia.” This is a type of body dysmorphia. Boys struggling with bigorexia become obsessed with building bigger muscles and trying to achieve a vision of the “ideal” muscular male physique.
Signs of eating disorders in boys
The classic signs of an eating disorder in girls are food restriction and obsession with being unhealthily thin. And while some boys may also fit that description of anorexia, more will pursue the exact opposite.
Boys are being exposed to a flood of images in the media and from social media influencers who flaunt lean, ripped, ultra-muscular bodies. As a result, many become unhealthily focused on eating and exercising in pursuit of bigger muscles.
Some of these behaviors may look similar to ones that your child’s coaches encourage as part of training for their sport. But be aware of signs that your son is taking them to an unhealthy level, such as:
- “Clean eating” to an obsessive degree (entirely cutting out food groups such as carbs while focusing excessively on protein intake)
- Extreme caloric restriction
- Missing or avoiding social events because it might interfere with their restrictive diet or workout routine
- Taking performance-enhancing supplements or steroids
- Working out compulsively (especially lifting weights)
Treating eating disorders in boys
Parents trying to help their kids have a more positive body image and reduce their risk of developing an eating disorder can take one important step: Limit your child’s exposure to social media.
A recent study published by the American Psychological Society found that teens and young adults who reduced their social media use by 50% saw an improvement in their body image after just a few weeks.
Getting treatment for eating disorders is important to a teen’s overall physical and emotional health. Eating disorders can lead to both short- and long-term health issues for boys.
Electrolyte imbalances, reduced bone density, heart problems and organ damage are not uncommon side effects. Eating disorders also often go hand-in-hand with other mental issues, such as depression and anxiety.
If your child is struggling with disordered eating and distorted body image, seek out a doctor or counselor who specializes in treating eating disorders. They can help your child build self-esteem and a healthy body image. Over time, your child will rediscover a healthy relationship with food, exercise — and their own body.
