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When most people think about eating disorders, they picture girls or young women struggling with food, weight, and body image. But this stereotype hides a much bigger truth: men can have eating disorders too. While eating disorders are more commonly diagnosed in females, a significant number of boys and men are affected many of whom never receive the support they need. In fact, it's estimated that around 1 in 4 people with eating disorders in the UK are male. Yet due to stigma, misunderstanding, and cultural expectations, men with eating disorders often go unnoticed and untreated.

This article explores how eating disorders affect men, breaks down the myths and stigma, shares the real-life impact on a young person, and offers practical advice for anyone struggling or wanting to help someone else.

What Is an Eating Disorder?

Eating disorders are serious mental health conditions involving unhealthy thoughts, emotions, and behaviours related to food and body image. They are not a lifestyle choice or something someone can simply snap out of. They often develop as a way to cope with deeper emotional pain, low self-esteem, trauma, or a need for control.

Common types of eating disorders include:

• Anorexia Nervosa: Characterised by extreme food restriction, intense fear of gaining weight, and distorted body image.
• Bulimia Nervosa: Involves cycles of binge eating followed by purging behaviours like vomiting, fasting, or excessive exercise.
• Binge Eating Disorder (BED): Involves eating large amounts of food in a short period, often without control, and usually followed by shame or guilt.
• ARFID (Avoidant/Restrictive Food Intake Disorder): Not linked to body image, this involves extreme picky eating due to sensory issues or fear of choking, often leading to nutritional problems.

All of these disorders can affect men just as much as women. But the way they present and the way society reacts can be very different.

Why Don't We Talk About Men and Eating Disorders?

There are a few reasons why men are often left out of the eating disorder conversation:

• Stereotypes: Society often sees eating disorders as a female issue. This means signs in men are overlooked or dismissed.
• Different pressures: While girls may face pressure to be thin, boys and men are often pressured to be muscular or lean. This can lead to disordered eating, over-exercising, or steroid misuse.
• Stigma: Many men feel ashamed to admit they have a mental health issue especially one linked to food or body image.
• Lack of diagnosis: Health professionals may be less likely to recognise or diagnose eating disorders in males due to biases or lack of awareness.

The result? Many men suffer in silence, feeling isolated and misunderstood. But that doesn't have to be the case.

Real-Life Impact: Josh's Story

Josh, 17, from Newcastle, always wanted to be stronger. I was never the biggest lad in my year, he says. I felt like people didn't take me seriously. At first, he started lifting weights and eating more protein. But over time, it became an obsession.

Id panic if I missed a workout. I started cutting out entire food groups, checking my body in the mirror every hour, and tracking every calorie. What Josh was experiencing is sometimes called muscle dysmorphia a type of body image disorder where someone becomes obsessed with the idea that they are too small or not muscular enough, even if they're already very fit.

Josh's eating habits became rigid, and he avoided social events involving food. If someone asked me to go out for pizza, Id make up an excuse. I didn't want to break my rules. Eventually, he became physically exhausted, lost interest in school, and felt constantly anxious. I didn't think I had an eating disorder, Josh admits. I thought I was just being disciplined.

It wasn't until a PE teacher pulled him aside that Josh opened up. With support from his parents, GP, and a therapist, he began to understand the emotional roots of his obsession. Recovery isn't just about food, he says. It's about learning to value yourself beyond your appearance.

Signs of Eating Disorders in Men

Eating disorders in men can look different from the typical signs people associate with these conditions. Here are some symptoms to be aware of:

• Preoccupation with muscle size or body shape (especially the desire to be more muscular)
• Over-exercising or refusing to take rest days
• Strict food rules or avoiding entire food groups
• Binge eating followed by guilt or shame
• Rapid weight loss or gain
• Wearing baggy clothes to hide the body
• Mood changes, anxiety, or depression
• Withdrawing from friends or social events, especially those involving food

Importantly, men don't have to be underweight to be struggling. Anyone, at any size, can have an eating disorder.

How to Get Help

If you or someone you know might be struggling, the first step is to speak to someone. Here's how to begin:

1. Talk to a Trusted Adult

This could be a parent, teacher, school counsellor, or coach. You don't have to explain everything perfectly just say that you're struggling with food or body image and want to talk about it.

2. Visit Your GP

Your doctor can help assess your physical and emotional health and refer you to an eating disorder service if needed. You don't need to be at crisis point to get support.

3. Use Support Services

• BEAT Eating Disorders: A UK charity offering support specifically for men, including online chat and helplines.
• Childline: Call 0800 1111 or use the online chat for confidential support 24/7.
• School support teams: Many schools offer mental health support and can help with referrals.

How to Support a Friend

If you're worried about a friend who may be struggling, here's what you can do:

• Start a private, non-judgemental conversation. You could say something like, I've noticed you haven't been yourself lately is everything okay?
• Listen without trying to fix things. Just being there is powerful.
• Encourage them to talk to an adult or get professional help.
• Stay connected. Keep inviting them to hang out, even if they say no. It reminds them they're not alone.

Practical Tips for Recovery

If you're working through an eating disorder, recovery might feel daunting. But it is 100% possible. Here are some tips:

• Challenge perfect body standards. Social media is full of filters and edited images they're not real life.
• Focus on how you feel, not just how you look. Strength, energy, and confidence matter more than abs.
• Set small goals. Recovery isn't about being perfect; It's about making progress, one step at a time.
• Celebrate wins even tiny ones. Had a snack you'd usually avoid? That's a big deal. Be proud.
• Talk it out. Whether with a therapist, friend, or helpline, sharing your thoughts helps lighten the load.

Final Thoughts

So, can men have eating disorders? Absolutely. And It's time we start talking about it openly. Eating disorders are not about gender they're about mental health, self-worth, and how we cope with the challenges life throws at us.

Whether you're struggling yourself or supporting someone else, the message is clear: you are not alone, and help is available. There is no shame in asking for support. In fact, it's one of the bravest things you can do.

Recovery is possible. Real strength isn't about what you look like It's about who you are and how you show up for yourself, even on the hard days.

How are you feeling?

It is really important that when we need help, we feel able to ask for it. This could be speaking to a parent, a close friend, a teacher or someone else you trust. Sometimes it can be really hard to share our feelings with other people but if we are feeling low or don't know where to turn, sharing with others is really important. Teachers will always take you seriously and listen to your problems in confidence if you approach them for help. Likewise, parents, siblings or friends will help you if you reach out to them.

If you feel like you can't speak to anyone you know, there are people and organisations that can help support you:

• Childline - Call them on 0800 1111 any time of the day or night, every day of the week
• NSPCC - Call them on 0808 800 5000 between 10am and 4pm Monday to Friday or email them on help@NSPCC.org.uk
• The Samaritans – Call them on 116 123 any time of the day or night, every day of the week
• SANE – Call 0300 304 7000 for support (4:30pm - 10:30pm every day)
• Mind – Call 0300 123 3393 (9:00am - 6:00pm Monday to Friday)

*Sometimes we will use real life examples in our articles to aid understanding. When we do, names and ages will be changed.