Gender Differences Eating Disorders
Epidemiological studies have found that anorexia nervosa (AN) and bulimia nervosa (BN) are more prevalent amongst female populations(Hart, Granillo, Jorm, & Paxton, 2011; Striegel‐Moore et al., 2009). A study found, that gender disparity is reversed when it comes to binge eating disorder (0.6% women vs. 1.9% men)(Striegel‐Moore et al., 2009). Analyses yielded several statistically significant gender differences among those with eating disorders(Striegel‐Moore et al., 2009). Results reveal that compared to women, men were more likely to report overeating. On the other hand, women were more likely to express a sense of "loss of control" while eating when compared to their male counterparts. Women reported body judgment, starvation and vomiting at a higher rate than men.
A review of the literature concludes that the extent of gender differences is contingent upon the specific eating disorder symptoms(Hart et al., 2011). For example, females are more likely to diet as a means of weight control, weight disapproval and purging whereas males tend to report higher rates of excessive exercise and overeating. Compared to men, women are personally and culturally validated to engage in ritualistic judgment of body size and tracking one's weight obsessively(Striegel‐Moore et al., 2009). Strigel-Moore’s study concluded that 1 in 5 women participate in such behaviors, and only 1 in ten men participate in the same rituals. Limitations of this study(Striegel‐Moore et al., 2009) include the inability for the sample to represent the population as a whole accurately, as there were nearly now racial minority groups included in the study. Thus future research is warranted to further understand gender and ethnic factors concerning eating disorder symptomology and pervasiveness.
Another study pertaining to gender and eating disorders (ED) employed mixed methods (quantitative and qualitative) (González et al., 2015). Researchers also confirmed that eating disorders disproportionately affect women. Though this particular analysis focused on the examination of how this gender imbalance is reflected in the symptomology as well as psychological characteristics(González et al., 2015). Males are socialized differently than females thus cultural values are placed on different aspects. For example, males are associated with strength and thus exercise at an unhealthy rate more frequently than females. Females are expected to be small and, therefore, starve themselves more often than males(González et al., 2015; Hart et al., 2011).
Treatment for eating disorders also varies by gender. 16% of women responded wanting to receive treatment, and only 2% of men reported the desire to do so(González et al., 2015). The study suggested ED are impacted by the social context in that "Widespread cultural constructions of EDs as a ‘women's illness’ mean that men may fail to recognize ED symptoms until disordered behaviors are life threatening"(González et al., 2015). The inability to recognize symptoms among men further support the concept that excessive exercise and binge eating is a social norm among men and thus go undetected. This study also noted that the incidence of EDs among men is on the rise(González et al., 2015).
Men's experience with eating disorders is often underreported as a result of the cultural norms associated with gender(González et al., 2015; Hart et al., 2011). Furthermore, this study confirmed that gender differences exists in consultation with primary care clinicians, and often do not assess or are aware of eating disorder symptoms among males in late adolescence and early–mid adulthood(González et al., 2015). Thus, further supporting the notion that society deems EDs as a women's illness, this enhances the ability for early detection of males and further polarizes the issue of gender about EDs. This gender-bias is echoed in the efforts of National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE), which created clinical guidelines for ED management and failed to mention any protocol for EDs among men (González et al., 2015). Raising awareness of the problematic nature of gendered EDs is critical to encourage more research and development of an intervention that tailors to the unique needs of each sex.
References:
González, M. L., Mora, M., Penelo, E., Goddard, E., Treasure, J., & Raich, R. M. (2015). Gender differences found in a qualitative study of a disordered eating prevention programme: What do boys have to say? Journal of Health Psychology, 20(6), 858-874. doi:10.1177/1359105315573426
Hart, L. M., Granillo, M. T., Jorm, A. F., & Paxton, S. J. (2011). Unmet need for treatment in the eating disorders: a systematic review of eating disorder specific treatment seeking among community cases. Clinical psychology review, 31(5), 727-735.
Striegel‐Moore, R. H., Rosselli, F., Perrin, N., DeBar, L., Wilson, G. T., May, A., & Kraemer, H. C. (2009). Gender difference in the prevalence of eating disorder symptoms. International Journal of Eating Disorders, 42(5), 471-474.
