Objective We report on the long‐term outcome of males compared to females treated for anorexia nervosa (AN) or bulimia nervosa (BN). Methods A total of 119 males with AN and 60 males with BN were reassessed 5.8 ± 4.6 and 7.5 ± 5.9 years (respectively) after treatment and compared to matched female patients. Results At follow‐up, males with AN had a higher body weight than females. For AN, remission rates (40% males vs. 41% females) did not differ at follow‐up. And at follow‐up, more males (34%) than females (19%) had an eating disorder not otherwise specified (ED‐NOS; p < .01). At follow‐up of AN, there was no binge‐eating disorder (BED) and obesity was rare. For BN, remission rates (44% males vs. 50% females) and frequency of AN, BN, BED and ED‐NOS did not differ at follow‐up. Males with AN scored lower than females at follow‐up on most subscales of the Eating Disorder Inventory (EDI) and on somatization, obsessive–compulsive symptoms, and depression (Brief Symptom Inventory). Males with BN scored lower than females with BN on perfectionism and higher on interpersonal distrust (EDI) at follow‐up. Discussion Results from the scarce literature on males with ED are inconclusive regarding longer term outcome. In the present study, males with AN showed a slightly better outcome than females. In BN, outcome was about the same in males and females. According to our study, existing treatment is equally effective in both males and females. Additional research on the need of gender‐specific diagnosis and therapy is required.

Objective To report on the long‐term mortality of eating disorders in male inpatients. Method Crude mortality rates (CMR) and standardized mortality ratios (SMR) were computed for a large sample of males (147 anorexia nervosa [AN], 81 bulimia nervosa [BN], 110 eating disorder not otherwise specified [ED‐NOS]; DSM‐IV). In addition, a survival analysis from onset of eating disorder to death or end of observation was computed. Results CMR was 12.9% in AN, 11.1% in BN, and 6.4% in ED‐NOS. Standardized mortality was significantly elevated in males with AN (SMR = 5.91; 95% confidence interval 3.56–9.23) as well as ED‐NOS (SMR = 3.40; 95% confidence interval 1.37–7.01) but not in males with BN (SMR = 1.88; 95% confidence interval 0.86–3.58). Males with AN died sooner after onset of eating disorder than males with BN or ED‐NOS. Discussion Mortality in male inpatients with eating disorder is high, especially in AN. There is need for developing more effective treatments to achieve better outcome.

Level I, Systematic review.

No abstract