People are becoming aware of their bodies at much younger ages. And while awareness and education about eating disorders is shoved down girls' throats from adolescence, new statistics tell us that we need to start talking about body image and disordered eating to the boys' health class as well.

Most adolescents have a distorted view of what their bodies look like versus what they want them to look like. Many younger boys are anxious for their bodies to develop into larger, more manly bodies. But the vanity of cultural role models is not relegated to women's bodies anymore. Boys' role models, whether they are athletes or music or movie icons, have to have as stylized and objectified bodies as their female counterparts in the spotlight. We see movie stars drop weight and gain muscle mass in what seems like mere weeks between movie roles and the fantastic world of movies gets drawn into our daily realities.

While it may seem as though more men are being diagnosed and treated for eating disorders today than in the past, cultural norms may distort those figures. While figures from 20 years ago put the ratio of men suffering from anorexia nervosa as one man for every 10-15 women diagnosed, current figures range from one in ten to possibly one in four. One reason given for the discrepancy is that, because eating disorders are touted as a "female" disorder, men are less likely to come forward out of embarrassment, or they may not even recognize their habits as eating disorders.

Eating disorders in men develop for many of the same reasons they do in women. Many were overweight or obese as children, and chronic dieting practices can carry over into their adult lives, developing into disordered eating patterns. Another source is involvement in sports where body weight is a factor, for example, gymnasts, runners, jockeys, rowers, swimmers, dancers, body builders, or wrestlers who must maintain their weight to stay in competitive weight classes.

Eating disorders can manifest themselves in many different ways. Restriction of food intake for weight loss can lead to anorexia nervosa, which involves a distorted view of your body and strict controlling behaviour in order to keep your body at a certain weight. Anorexia can lead to kidney and eventually heart failure if it is left untreated.

Another type of disordered eating is bulimia. Bulimia involves uncontrollable binge eating, where massive amounts of foods are compulsively consumed, followed by the use of vomiting, laxatives, or excessive exercise (sometimes called exercise bulimics) to offset the food taken in. Many men exercise up to three times a day, or six hours a day to offset an eating binge, and can hide their eaitng disorder in the fact that they have strict exercise regimens. Binge eating seems to affect about the same amount of men as it does women.

While anorexia and bulimia are characterized by trying to keep weight off, many body builders strive for the opposite effect. They limit their food intake to power bars and protein shakes in order to obtain the maximum amount of definition and bulk, not realizing, or caring, that their bodies cannot survive without essential nutrients. Because the cultural ideal is to be thin or defined, people assume that if their friends are keeping off the weight, they are healthy.

While eating disorders can begin with weight issues, the disordered eating behaviours can have severe psychological repercussions. Anxiety and depression often go hand-in-hand with eating disorders, especially as behaviours spin out of control and become increasingly compulsive.

While compulsive behaviours stemming from feelings of anxiety and depression are one root of disordered eating, a related disorder is known as body dismorphic disorder (BDD). People suffering from BDD are obsessed with their physical appearance, but have a distorted idea of what their body looks like. They will often zero in on one specific area. Target areas for men suffering form BDD include body size and shape, hair loss and the size of their penis. While in the general population, more women are diagnosed with panic attacks, major depression and anorexia nervosa, the incidence in men with BDD is equal to their female BDD counterparts. The incidence of suicide attempts is also equal in men and women who suffer from BDD, defying the general population stats that have women twice as likely to attempt suicide than men.

Treatment
Treatment for an eating disorder begins with the very difficult admission that you have lost control over your relationship with food and your body, much like how an addict starts their recovery. Once you realize, or someone you love begs you to realize, that you are suffering from an eating disorder, the best thing to do is to get an evaluation done by both a medical doctor and a mental health professional. This is a very scary step for those suffering from an eating disorder, whose initial greatest fear is to have to be hospitalized and lose all control over what nutrients are going into their bodies. You have to trust that, unless you are in late stages and your life is at risk, doctors are going to want you to proceed with a program that will give you the best opportunities for success.

Treatment will most likely include moderated weight restoration to improve your health and mind. You may be given medication (serotonin reuptake inhibitors) to relieve symptoms of depression or anxiety. This will not "cure" the eating disorder, but rather, it will reduce your anxiety to ease therapy (most likely cognitive behavioural therapy to help resist compulsive behaviours and reduce social anxiety.

While treatment programs are still populated largely by women, more and more are recognizing the need for male-centered therapy and providing resources. If you know someone that may have an eating disorder, offer them your help and support immediately. If you think you may have an eating disorder, take the first step by admitting you have a problem. Then schedule an appointment with your family doctor or a health professional. They will find you the treatment you need to work through the problem, improve your overall mental and physical well-being and prevent any permanent damage to your vital internal organs.

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