“It’s time we talked about men and boys with eating disorders,” says Priory Eating Disorders Consultant

• Men and boys make up 25% of all eating disorder patients, according to the charity BEAT, but are less likely to seek help due to stigma, says consultant psychiatrist at Priory
• Society has traditionally seen eating disorders as a problem for women and girls
• But a Royal College of Psychiatrists report in 2022 outlined a stark rise in eating disorder hospital admissions for boys and young men of 128% over a 5 year period
• Eating disorders in males may be hidden by seemingly healthy behaviours like gym going and fitness, says expert

Eating disorders can be overlooked in males because it’s traditionally been considered a ‘female’ illness, warns a Priory eating disorders Consultant.

Men and boys make up a quarter of all eating disorder patients, according to the charity BEAT.

Dr Lauren Gavaghan, consultant psychiatrist at Priory Hayes Grove, has suggested that while society often portrays eating disorders as a problem for women and girls, the condition can affect any gender. The Royal College of Psychiatrists, for example, reported a sharp increase in the number of boys and young men being admitted to hospital for eating disorders in 2022, with there being a 128% rise over a 5 year period.

Men may present with different symptoms to women, which can appear as healthy routines, such as fitness and exercise, suggests Dr Gavaghan, Clinical Director of Priory Eating Disorders Network. It is a complex illness, however, and not all men will present in one particular way, making it challenging for them to come forward for treatment.

“Importantly, if men are presenting later, it means they may be at a more acute stage in their eating disorder trajectory, when their physical health may also at risk. Treatment at an early stage of illness is crucial to try and avoid the eating disorder becoming more entrenched over time. They may not have realised themselves that their behaviours were unhealthy, and potentially dangerous,” says Dr Gavaghan.
 
“We must pay more attention to the males out there with eating disorders, as they deserve treatment as early as possible. We need to ensure that the public discourse around this is more open and less stigmatising. I have no doubt that it was very helpful for others to hear Freddie Flintoff in 2020 talking openly about his struggles with bulimia on the BBC.”

“For many years, people have associated eating disorders with young women,” she adds. “It’s been really important to raise awareness about eating disorders and we now need to ensure that men and boys are also able to access treatment in a timely fashion.”

“More recently, we do seem to be seeing more males struggling with eating disorders coming into our inpatient units and it is important that we consider this in the tailoring of our treatment programmes and offer early intervention as much as possible. It is so encouraging to see anyone with an eating disorder begin to flourish again and live their life more freely.”

Priory is the UK’s leading independent provider of mental health services, and supports patients with eating disorders across the UK.

Between 1.25 and 3.4 million people in the UK are affected by an eating disorder. BEAT the charity suggests around 25% of those affected by an eating disorder are male.

Dr Gavaghan says: “Eating disorders are complex mental health conditions, and they can affect anyone. Their causes are multifactorial and people start to use the control of food to manage complex emotions and challenging life situations. They may also have other mental health difficulties. Over time, the behaviours associated with eating disorders can become extreme and challenging to shift.”

“It is an oft-repeated fact that eating disorders are responsible for higher mortality than any other mental health condition, but it is important to realise that with treatment, many people can recover from an eating disorder. The earlier treatment is sought, the better the chance of a successful recovery.

“If you are worried about a loved one, or are suffering from disordered eating yourself, it’s really important to seek specialist help. Often your GP is the first point of call. Specialists will help you to understand the factors that are contributing to your illness, including any co-existing mental health conditions, and can teach you skills and coping mechanisms to help you move forward with your life again.”

For details of how to seek private eating disorder treatment at Priory, call 0800 280 8144, or visit Priorygroup.com/make-an-enquiry

ENDS 

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About Priory and MEDIAN

Priory is the UK’s leading independent provider of mental health services. We treat more than 70 conditions including depression, anxiety, addictions, and eating disorders, as well as children’s mental health, across our nationwide network of sites. We also support autistic adults and adults with a learning disability, Prader-Willi Syndrome and brain injuries, as well as older people, within our specialist residential care and supported living facilities– helping as many people as possible to live their lives.

Priory is part of the MEDIAN Group, one of Europe’s leading providers of high-quality mental health and rehabilitation services. The MEDIAN Group comprises: 290 facilities with 5,000 beds caring for 28,000 people in the United Kingdom, 120 facilities with 20,000 beds caring for around 250,000 patients in Germany, and 15 facilities with 2,000 beds caring for 13,000 people in Spain, with more than 29,000 employees overall.