Eating Disorders and Gender

Eating disorders do not discriminate and can affect anyone at any point in time, regardless of age, gender identity, socioeconomic status, race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, or cultural background. The incidence of and level of impairment from eating disorders are actually quite similar for men and women. Despite the similar rates of occurrence of eating disorders in both genders, women are more likely to be diagnosed with eating disorders than men and are more likely to admit to disordered eating behaviors than men. Men account for 1 in 10 clinically diagnosed cases of eating disorders. This number is likely underreported as historically men have been significantly underrepresented in the eating disorder literature. All of this contributes to the stigma that eating disorders are “female diseases.” This ...