Despite common misconceptions that it is only women who suffer from eating disorders there are also many men who are diagnosed with this illness. In fact many men suffer from this illness without realizing it according to research published in 2001 by Dr. Arnold Anderson of the University of Iowa (article linked here). Dr. Anderson also found that men who have an eating disorder show worse physical symptoms than do women.

Men with an eating disorder are expected to have a significantly lower bone density than women. This loss of bone density is caused by severe weight loss and deficiencies in essential nutrients. A lack of calcium can lead to a serious decline in bone mineral density which leaves the bones brittle and easily breakable.

Dr Anderson performed an ongoing study of people who had been admitted to the Eating Disorder treatment clinic at the University of Iowa. Over a period of seven years he monitored a total of 380 people. Men represented 14% of this sample size. The team studied three types of eating disorders: anorexia nervosa, anorexia nervosa with bingeing and purging, and bulimia nervosa.

As might be expected all of the patients with eating disorders presented with BMD deficiencies, however men showed a statistically significant lower bone density than did women. The male hormone testosterone was found to be lower in men who had been suffering from an eating disorder. Researchers suspected that there is a link between the lack of this hormone and the drop in BMD.

Because one of the consequences for a low BMD is brittle bones patients need to be warned about high impact sporting activities. Patients with an eating disorder should be helped to develop an exercise routine with reduced impact. Ask your physician about using moderate weight-bearing exercise.

Eating disorders are often blamed on the media depiction of a "thin ideal" person. In fact many of the models (men and women) are below a healthy weight. By creating this unrealistic ideal the media may be helping to create the guilt and shame that drives the process of developing an eating disorder. The British Medical association has recommended that the fashion industry try to set a better example by using models who are a healthy weight.