What Parents Should Know About Boys and Eating Disorders
Girls’ parents probably know that despite all the pressure from society and peers (and sometimes even family), they need to watch closely for signs of an eating disorder. But what experts have really only begun to figure out relatively recently is that our boys may also be at risk for eating disorders, and their disorders often manifest themselves in different ways, and therefore take longer to identify.
While girls are more likely to have a clear goal of losing weight or maintaining a low weight, boys are much more lean or muscular, according to Dr. Douglas Bunnell, a clinical psychologist and expert on eating disorders.
“Basically, they feel like they don’t look slim or muscular enough,” says Bunnell. “And curiously, boys might even say they have no problem gaining weight, they just don’t want to gain weight in a way that makes them look flabby.”
Thus, how an eating disorder may manifest in a boy can be very different from that in a girl struggling with an eating disorder. Boys may over-exercise, use steroids or over-the-counter supplements, or become overly focused on “clean eating” – especially avoiding carbohydrates, increasing protein, or following restrictive fad diets. It is also easy for boys to skip overeating because it is more socially acceptable for boys than for girls to eat exorbitant amounts of food in one sitting.
“We need to take a closer look at this issue for boys,” says Bunnell. “I think [boys’ disorders] tend to go [undiagnosed] longer, and they turn to treatment more seriously ill … still persists. common myth ”.
Risk factors
As with other mental disorders, some boys are more at risk for an eating disorder than others. And while there hasn’t been much research on risk factors unique to boys and girls yet, Bunnell says we know there are some risk factors to be aware of. They are:
- Family history of eating disorder
- Family history of anxiety disorder
- Personal history (or possibly family history) of the injury
- Participation in sports or pursuits with limited or weight-based weight, such as rowing or wrestling
Warning signs
It is true that it can be harder or longer to diagnose eating disorders in boys, but there are some things that parents can and should look out for, especially if they have any risk factors. The Institute for the Child’s Mind lists the following possible signs that your son is struggling with an eating disorder:
- Excessive focus and time spent on exercise
- Harshness about eating rituals
- Eating large amounts of food
- Going to the toilet while eating or immediately after
- Avoiding certain foods
- Unusual eating behavior (cutting food into small pieces, pushing food around the plate)
- Obsessive reading of nutritional information or counting calories
- Constantly weighing himself or looking in the mirror
- Avoiding or refusing to participate in social events related to food
Resources
Most formalized eating disorder treatment programs continue to target girls, despite a growing opinion among experts that up to a quarter of people with eating disorders are men. Boys can find it difficult to overcome the stigma associated with eating disorder as something that predominantly affects girls. But this is very important because, as reported by the National Eating Disorders Association (NEDA) , research has shown that the mortality risk for men with eating disorders is actually higher than for women, so early intervention is critical.
NEDA is a good place for concerned parents to start gathering information and treatment options. They have a hotline with call, text or online chat options, and a downloadable parenting toolkit that offers instructions on how to talk to your child if you suspect they have an eating disorder. You can also ask your healthcare provider about local treatment options.
Then talk to your child about your concerns — calmly, caringly, and with an open mind.
“These things don’t just happen,” says Bunnell. “Don’t ignore it; you don’t create a problem anymore by asking about it, and you risk missing the problem if you avoid it. ”