Welfare Wednesday
Welcome back to the June edition of Welfare Wednesday. We continue our theme of men’s health and this week we are taking a look at a topic that is most commonly associated with females.
Eating disorders and body image…
Eating disorders are often described as a female issue, and there is very little good quality data on how many men are affected by an eating disorder.
A survey conducted in 2007 for the NHS confirmed that although cases of possible eating disorder are concentrated among women, it also showed that a quarter of cases in young people were found in men.
Types of eating disorders include anorexia nervosa, bulimia and binge eating disorder. These types of conditions are complex, with many potential causes and risk factors including…
low self-esteem
a family history of eating disorders
depression or substance misuse
being criticised and or bullied for body shape or weight
being overly concerned with being slim or having a particular body image
The Royal College of Psychiatrists have looked at eating disorders in men and report that:
Eating disorders do seem to have become more common in boys and men.
It may be that men are now seeking help for eating disorders rather than keeping quiet about them.
Eating disorders are more common in occupations which demand a low body weight (or low body fat). These include horse riding, bodybuilding, wrestling, boxing, dancing, swimming, athletics and rowing
If you or someone you know needs has been effected by this post, reach out to your GP or chat to a member on the committee and we can point you in the right direction
The Welfare Team ☺️