Men with eating disorders fail to get help

This news item was added on 17th May 2007

Many men suffer from eating disorders in silence, according to the National Centre For Eating Disorders (NCFED).

Although the claim is also true for women because of the secretive nature of the disease, women still tend to seek help more often than men.

As a result of preconceptions of bulimia and anorexia being primarily female conditions, men often hesitate to seek advice and treatment.

"They think they should be able to deal with it themselves; they think that if they do go to see the doctor, the doctor won't be able to understand them; they think that…it's hard to get treatment, they're put off, there aren't many treatment facilities, and for men, there's always the sense that…it's a female condition.", Deanne Jade, principal and founder of NCFED, explains.

Tommy Dodds, trainee fitness instructor from Hertfordshire and Guardian blogger, shared his experience of anorexia and argues "we all need to look beyond the stereotype to see the real killer within".

He also asks for national recognition to prevent the trend from becoming worse. Yet, Ms Jade believes that most of the campaign that could be done has been done.

Deanne Jade added that pressures of 'a very difficult age' have a tremendous impact on how men and women think they should look like.