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There aren’t a lot of statistics as men are less likely to ask for help, but an estimated 10-15% of those with eating disorders are male.

“Male eating disorders absolutely do happen,” says psychotherapist Andrea Scherzer. “But men are notorious for not asking for help – even though many are out there suffering,” she says. “They think an eating disorder is a female problem, so are often too embarrassed to open up.”

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It’s not just the pressure to work out and look a certain way that can cause a man to be affected by an eating disorder.

We have be aware that we are living in a patriarchal society where men are stereotypically meant to have control or at least look like they have it.

Any loss of this control, or the fear of it, could result in them finding something that they can control – such as their body and food.

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one in three people struggling with an eating disorder is male, and subclinical eating disordered behaviors (including binge eating, purging, laxative abuse, and fasting for weight loss) are nearly as common among men as they are among women.

In the United States alone, eating disorders will affect 10 million males at some point in their lives. But due in large part to cultural bias, they are much less likely to seek treatment for their eating disorder.

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There are numerous studies on male body image, and results vary widely. Many men have misconceived notions about their weight and physique, particularly the importance of muscularity. Findings include:

Most males would like to be lean and muscular, which typically represents the “ideal” male body type. Exposure to unattainable images in the media leads to male body dissatisfaction.

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The sexual objectification of men and internalization of media images predicts drive for muscularity.

The desire for increased musculature is not uncommon, and it crosses age groups. 25% of normal weight males perceive themselves to be underweight and 90% of teenage boys exercised with the goal of bulking up.

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Muscle dysmorphia, a subtype of body dysmorphic disorder, is an emerging condition that primarily affects male bodybuilders. Such individuals obsess about being adequately muscular. Compulsions include spending many hours in the gym, squandering excessive amounts of money on supplements, abnormal eating patterns, or use of steroids.

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The hidden world of boys with eating disorders

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Like women, men with eating disorders are also at risk for developing depression, anxiety, and substance use disorders. In their lifetime, roughly 0.3% of men will experience anorexia, 0.5% will experience bulimia, and 2% will experience binge eating disorder.

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Symptoms may include:

Severely restricted eating

Extreme thinness (emaciation)

Intense fear of gaining weight

Unrealistic, distorted body image

Unhealthy and relentless pursuit of thinness

Self-esteem that is heavily influenced by perceptions of body weight

Denial of the potential health consequences of low body weight

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One study found that roughly 90% of teenage boys exercise with the purpose of bulking up. Psychological, genetic, and family influences can also play a role

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Men also may experience increased risk when they are involved in athletic pursuits that require them to monitor and control their weight. These sports can include gymnastics, swimming, dancing, jockeying, wrestling, rowing, running, and bodybuilding.