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Eating disorders are illnesses that are generally believed to affect women rather than men. However, with more men now contacting beat than in the past this raised the question of what treatment and services are available for them. beat therefore commissioned a review of specialist health care provision across the UK for men with eating disorders and published the results in February 2000.
The overall findings identified a number of issues for men…
Incidence and Prevalence
- Gender and sexual orientation are significant factors.
- Approximately 10% of people with eating disorders are men and approximately 20% of men with eating disorders identify as gay, which is double the proportion of gay men in the population.
Accessing Services
- It is clear that the general lack of recognition of eating disorders in men makes it more difficult for them to access specialist eating disorder services. Their problems are less likely to be recognised and diagnosed by professionals including GPs and psychiatrists and therefore their illness may be well established before treatment is offered.
- Men find it hard to acknowledge they have an eating disorder and then to seek help. For example, weight loss is more likely to be attributed to physical causes rather than to psychological ones.
Useful links
- You can download eating disorders and men: the facts from our publication section
- You can visit our Message board for men
- You can read a male survivors story
- You can find out how to get help and support
- www.menshealthforum.org.uk has a selection of health related information for men
- www.malehealth.co.uk is a site with fast, free independent health info for men of all ages from the MHF (RSM Medical Website of the Year 2004)
Review Of The Provision Of Health Care Services For Men With Eating Disorders
Read the review titled:- Eating Disorders In The U.K. Review Of The Provision Of Health Care Services For Men With Eating Disorders, published in 2000.
