Prevalence and characteristics of men with eating disorders in primary care: how do they compare to women and what features may aid in identification?

Abstract

Objectives: Little is known about men with eating disorders (EDs) in primary care. The present study objectives were to (i) assess ED prevalence, ED features, weight, co-morbidities, exercise patterns, sexual orientation, and help-seeking in men attending a general practice setting and (ii) compare the results with a similar study of women. Method: Five hundred men chosen randomly from two general practices were screened with the Eating Disorders Examination-Questionnaire (EDE-Q), with an extra question concerning exercise for weight or shape control. Subsequently 50 subjects were interviewed to confirm psychiatric diagnoses and assess clinical features, weight, help-seeking for EDs and exercise.

Results: The prevalence of eating disorders was 1.2% (0 to 3.2 95% CI), most being Eating Disorders Not Otherwise Specified (EDNOS) of a bulimic type. This was significantly lower than the prevalence of eating disorders in the female study (χ2=12.91, df=1, P< 0.001). Men with EDs had frequent psychiatric co-morbidity. Eating disorder phenomenology was similar between the genders except that men were less weight concerned or likely to have self-induced vomiting. Men were also less likely to seek treatment.

Conclusions: As with women, better definition of EDNOS syndromes may help in recognition of men with EDs.