Bulimia, binge-eating issues for men are on rise

Marjie Gilliam/ Cox Newspapers

Source: http://www.detnews.com

Traditionally thought of as affecting mostly women, eating disorders among men are on the rise.

Harvard research results from the first national study of eating disorders in a population of nearly 3,000 adults found 25 percent of those with anorexia or bulimia and 40 percent of binge eaters were men. It was previously thought that men accounted for only about 10 percent of anorexia and bulimia cases.

Bulimia is an eating disorder characterized by gorging of food followed by purging or other methods to control weight, while anorexia is self-starvation marked by the refusal or inability to maintain normal weight combined with intense fear of gaining weight. Binge eating is the uncontrolled consumption of large amounts of food, and here, too, the number of men suffering from the condition is increasing.

Of the three eating disorders, binge eating is the only one considered nonlife-threatening, and not officially recognized as a psychiatric disorder.

Many active, thin males with extremely low body fat levels are looked upon as fit and healthy when, in fact, they may be struggling with an eating disorder. Due to the stigma attached, along with a reluctance to admit lack of control, men are less likely than women to seek treatment.

In addition, men are more likely to be diagnosed with having depression when significant appetite changes occur than receive a primary diagnosis of an eating disorder.

From The Detroit News: http://detnews.com/article/20111116/LIFESTYLE03/111160306/Bulimia--binge-eating-issues-for-men-are-on-rise#ixzz1e5Hq4aWa

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Why are men less likely to seek treatment for an eating disorder than women?  What are ways to increase awareness of how bulimia and binge-eating issues impact men?

Vail health: Bulimia and the brain

Randy Wyrick
rwyrick@vaildaily.com
VAIL CO, Colorado

Source: http://www.vaildaily.com 

VAIL — Don't put your kid on a diet, because diets don't work, says Dr. Kenneth Weiner, an expert in eating disorders and brain development.

Within three years, 90 percent of people weigh more than they did before the diet. The other 10 percent have built lifestyle changes into their lives, Weiner said.

Weiner is co-founder, CEO and chief medical officer of the Eating Recovery Center in Denver and has been treating eating disorders for more than 25 years. He talked to Colorado School Counselors Association's annual conference at the Vail Cascade Resort & Spa on Friday.

To help adolescents avoid eating disorders, concentrate on who they are and not what they are, what's on the inside rather than what's on the outside, he said.

“We live in an obese society and childhood obesity is going to break the healthcare bank. My patients are the collateral damage,” Weiner said. 

...Continue reading here.

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What are the various factors that are thought to contribute to the development of bulimia?  

Cheerleading and Bulimia: A Serious Risk

By Samantha Van Vleet
Source: http://sports.yahoo.com

Bulimia is a very serious eating disorder that can have long-lasting and serious consequences for those who suffer from it. With approximately 1% of the population suffering from bulimia, it isn't any wonder that that eating disorders, such as bulimia, has made their way into the world of cheerleading. Unfortunately, it seems that cheerleaders may be at a greater risk of developing eating disorders due to increased levels of pressure to maintain certain weight standards.

What is bulimia?

Bulimia is commonly used as shorthand for the medical condition known as bulimia nervosa. Unlike anorexia, bulimia is characterized by the consumption of a large quantity of food during a short period of time (also known as binging) followed by efforts to remove the food from the body though means such as induced vomiting (also known as purging) and the over-use of laxatives. Bulimics most commonly induce vomiting and may exercise excessively.

What are the symptoms of bulimia?

Bulimia can be much more difficult to spot than other disorders such as anorexia because many bulimics present at an average and even above-average weight. Cheerleaders suffering from bulimia may be expressing extreme amounts of stress of anxiety regarding their weight. Bulimics may talk about weight loss, diets and exercise routines to an excessive degree. They are likely dissatisfied with their body size and shape. A bulimic cheerleader may demonstrate extremely secretive behaviors following activities that involve food, such as sneaking off alone following eating. A cheerleader with bulimia may also be abusing diet pills and laxatives. Bulimic cheerleaders are likely to suffer from dizziness and light-headedness as well.

....Continue reading here. 

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If you suspect that a friend, teammate, or loved one is struggling with bulimia, what might be some helpful ways to approach them and convey your concern?