Men’s Health Week Shines A Light on Eating Disorders in Males
During this year’s Men’s Health Week, Eating Disorders Families Australia (EDFA) is urging Australians to recognise and respond to an issue that too often remains in the shadows: eating disorders in males.
Despite the common misconception that eating disorders predominantly affect women and girls, data shows that one in three Australians living with an eating disorder is male.
Males account for approximately:
- 20% of those with Anorexia Nervosa
- 30% with Bulimia Nervosa
- 43% with Binge Eating Disorder
- Over half with Other Specified Feeding or Eating Disorder (OSFED)
- 67% of people with Avoidant/Restrictive Food Intake Disorder (ARFID)
However, the true number of affected males is likely be higher, as eating disorders in men are more likely to go undiagnosed. This is due in part to stigma, social expectations, and a lack of understanding about how these conditions can present differently in men says EDFA.
Missed Signs and Greater Risks
Men experiencing eating disorders may show symptoms that differ from typical stereotypes, often focusing not on weight loss, but on muscle gain, supplement use, or excessive exercise. As a result, their symptoms are more likely to be overlooked by family, peers, and even health professionals.
“Males are four times more likely to go undiagnosed,” said EFDA Fill The Gap Counsellor Mark Hill. “Males in strength-focused sports, from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds, or identifying as LGBTQIA+ are at even greater risk.”
Signs of eating disorders in males include:
Psychological
- Mood changes
- Perfectionism
- Pre-occupation and rigid thinking around food, exercise, muscle gain and body shape/weight
Physical
- Rapid weight changes
- Changes in physical appearance
- Unexplained fatigue
- Fainting
Behavioural
- Dieting, fasting, counting calories, cutting out food groups
- Using supplements, steroids or laxatives
- Excessive/compulsive exercise
Resources for Families and Carers
- EDFA’s Nourish, Nurture, Notice online prevention program is designed specifically for parents and carers of school-aged children and adolescents. The free program is focused on early identification of disordered eating and the prevention of eating disorders in young peop. It aims to support early recognition and response to disordered eating behaviours.
- Free Online Counselling: Book via org.au/counselling-service or call 03 9125 5670
- Join a Support Group: Connect with other carers through free online groups via EDFA’s website
