Polish Psychological Bulletin

Abstract

The paper examines the issues of epidemiology, conditions, and treatment of eating disorders in men which are not widely recognised in either Polish and other International research. The aim of this paper is to provide an narrative overview of published research to date on the epidemiology, determinants and treatment of eating disorders in males, to discuss some of the differences reported in studies of self-identified gender disparities, and differences in comparison to the literature on female eating disorders. The prevalence and extent of the issue is underestimated by those affected and by clinicians. Consequently, men suffering from eating disorders (EDs) are less likely to be recognised or to receive appropriated timely help.This paper is based on a narrative review analysis of research reports on EDs. The authors discuss the issue of EDs in the context of gender, indicating how self-identified gender can affect clinical presentation (including somatic self--perception, and the methods employed and motives in striving for a 'perfect' figure) and how these relate.Both the methods used in collecting data on eating disorders and the precision of diagnostic criteria for recognising eating disorders (mainly anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa) (both on the DSM and ICD systems) are based largely on research conducted in female clinical populations. Analysis of the empirical material to date leads us to assume that symptoms of EDs in men are more often (than in the case of women) related to (self)stigmatisation, difficulties in obtaining a correct diagnosis, coexistent body dysmorphic disorders, substance addictions, and greater physical activity.