Tackling the stigma of eating disorders in men and boys

The actor Chris Eccleston made the headlines last month when he admitted that he has battled with an eating disorder for decades and at one point considered suicide.

In his new book, I Love the Bones of You, the actor described himself as a “lifelong body-hater”, saying he was “very ill” with the condition while filming Doctor Who. He said he never revealed his struggle before because it’s not what working class northern males do.

At the time, a spokesperson for the eating disorder charity Beat said it took courage to speak about having anorexia. “Doing so helps to combat the stigma and misunderstanding that exists around these serious mental illnesses, especially for men and boys,” they said.

Often seen as a ‘female problem’, eating disorders in men are frequently under reported, but recent research shows that disordered eating practices may, for the first time, be increasing at a faster rate in males than in females.¹

In addition, studies suggest that risk of mortality for males with eating disorders is higher than it is for females so early intervention is critical.²

Body image is believed to be a big factor. One study found that roughly 90% of teenage boys exercise with the purpose of bulking up.³ Psychological, genetic, and family influences can also play a role.² 

Eating disorders – such as anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa and binge eating disorder – affect an estimated 1.6 million people in the UK, though the true figure may be higher as many people do not seek help.

Lack of understanding of eating disorders among doctors

Despite the scale of the problem, resources to treat eating disorders are scarce. There are very few specialised treatment centres. People affected are often young and vulnerable, and may avoid detection. However, the earlier a disorder can be diagnosed, the better the likely outcome for the patient.