Perceptions of eating disorder diagnoses and body image issues in four male cases in Singapore

Abstract

BackgroundDespite the increasing number of patients presenting for treatment, little is still known about male eating disorders cases. The current study presents four male eating disorder cases presented to our specialized treatment facility in Singapore.Case presentationCases 1, 2 and 3 are homosexual males in their twenties and thirties who presented with anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa. Case 4 is a heterosexual male in his twenties diagnosed with binge eating disorder. All four cases expressed body image dissatisfaction, fat phobia and fear of weight gain. Additionally, all of them sought treatment because of comorbid psychiatric conditions or parental wishes. Premorbid obesity and homosexual orientation may be potential risk factors for males in developing eating disorders.ConclusionsThese findings suggest that more exploration needs to be done for males diagnosed with eating disorders, particularly in the Asian society. A deeper understanding into factors associated with symptom presentation and treatment-seeking behaviors would greatly assist in informing the direction and focus of treatment in the region.

The Relative Associations of Body Image Dissatisfaction among Psychiatric Out-Patients in Singapore

“…In Asian societies, especially among adolescent and young adults, physical appearance, particularly the drive for slenderness, is seen prominently among females as compared to males [24,25]. A study among young Asian males seeking treatment for eating disorder expressed significant fear of BID accompanied by fat phobia [26]. Strong implicit anti-fat bias internalization was reported as a valid predictor of weight-related behavioral concerns leading to body image trepidations among Asian female students [27].…”

Estimated prevalence of eating disorders in Malaysia based on a diagnostic screen

“…To our knowledge, ED case reports in Malaysia indicate that the clinical presentations of patients with AN are similar to that in Western countrieshigh weight shape concerns, restriction of food intake, and body image disturbance (Khairani et al, 2011;Koh & Norharlinar, 2016;Lai & Tan, 2013). Likewise, ED case reports in Singapore, Malaysia's neighboring country with a similar historical and cultural heritage, patients with avoidant/ restrictive food intake disorder (ARFID) (Lai et al, 2019), AN and BN (Kua et al, 1982;Kwok et al, 2020;Ung et al, 1997), and binge-ED (Boon et al, 2017)…”

“…To our knowledge, ED case reports in Malaysia indicate that the clinical presentations of patients with AN are similar to that in Western countries – high weight shape concerns, restriction of food intake, and body image disturbance (Khairani et al, 2011; Koh & Norharlinar, 2016; Lai & Tan, 2013). Likewise, ED case reports in Singapore, Malaysia's neighboring country with a similar historical and cultural heritage, patients with avoidant/restrictive food intake disorder (ARFID) (Lai et al, 2019), AN and BN (Kua et al, 1982; Kwok et al, 2020; Ung et al, 1997), and binge‐ED (Boon et al, 2017) report similar clinical presentations as patients in Western countries. There is little evidence of significant cultural variation in ED clinical presentation, which may be due to Malaysia's history of British imperialism and continued acculturation to Western culture through media.…”

Validación del Cuestionario de Actitudes Socioculturales sobre la Apariencia (SATAQ-4) en población colombiana

“…Al respecto, Behar (2010) expone que la sociedad occidental ha promovido valores, creencias y cánones estéticos que han dado origen a estereotipos corporales que establecen un arquetipo de belleza centrado en el culto al cuerpo joven y delgado, especialmente para las mujeres, y de musculatura sin grasa para los hombres (Boon et al, 2017;Eik-Nes et al, 2018;Prnjak et al, 2019).…”