Men can and do develop eating disorders, and the prevalence of extreme dieting and purging has increased faster among men than women. As well as anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa and binge-eating disorder, men are affected by muscle dysmorphia and other muscularity-orientated eating issues. D espite a public perception to the contrary, men can and do develop eating disorders. Studies have shown that males may account for approximately 25% of cases of anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa and 33% of binge-eating disorders (US data), and 25% of early-onset eating disorders in pre-adoles- cent children (Australian data). 1,2 Alarmingly, these figures are set to rise. Data from a cross-sectional survey of 3000 adults in Australia conducted in 1998 and again in 2008 showed that the prevalence of extreme dieting and purging increased faster among the men than the women. 3 The prevalence of strict dieting or fasting, purging and binging more than doubled among men in Australia between 1995 and 2005. 4 Stated plainly, the problem of eating disorders in males is going to get worse before it gets better. The spectrum of male body image concerns Complicating matters even further is that current prevalence figures might tell only half of the story. Most men do not desire the thin and skinny body coveted by most women. A study of undergraduates in the USA has shown that the ideal male body is similar to that of most competitive swimmers: broad-shouldered with a muscular chest, well-developed arms, big biceps, a V-shaped torso and a set of six-pack abs. 5 If we accept that eating disorders such as anorexia nervosa are often the result of a preoccupation with, and overvaluation of, thinness, how should we address those men who are pre- occupied with, and overvalue, muscularity? 6 If the abuse of lax- atives and diuretics are examples of eating disorder behaviours motivated by the desire to be thin, how should we conceptualise the abuse of anabolic steroids? 7 Men’s dissatisfaction with their muscles may explain why the proportion of needle-exchange users who reported that their last injection was steroids increased from 2% nationally in 2007 to 7% in 2012, and even more MedicineToday 2015; 16(5): 63-65 Mr Griffiths is a PhD student in the School of Psychology, University of Sydney, Sydney. Dr Murray is a Research Associate in the Department of Psychiatry, University of California, San Diego, CA, USA. Professor Touyz is Professor of Clinical Psychology and Clinical Professor in Psychiatry, University of Sydney; and Executive Chair of the Centre of Eating and Dieting Disorders, Sydney, NSW. © PUNKLE/DOLLAR PHOTO CLUB. MODEL USED FOR ILLUSTRATIVE PURPOSES ONLY. MEN'S HEALTH PEER REVIEWED Keeping pace with the growing problem of male eating disorders SCOTT GRIFFITHS BPsych(Hons) STUART B. MURRAY PhD STEPHEN TOUYZ PhD MedicineToday ❙ MAY 2015, VOLUME 16, NUMBER 5 63 Downloaded for personal use only. No other uses permitted without permission. © MedicineToday 2015.