Eating disorders have been most commonly associated with women and therefore most studies on anorexia nervosa have been concentrated within the female population. Such gender bias however makes it less likely that a doctor will diagnose a male as having an eating disorder or anorexia nervosa even though the symptoms might be identical.
Men are far less likely to discuss an eating disorder with other men or with women. Their doctors are more likely to diagnose them as having a bout of depression due to stress or some kind of upset rather than suffering from an eating disorder because such disorders have been largely labeled female diseases. This is mostly due to cultural differences between men and women.
Discussions about beauty, new diets and body weight are seen as the female arena of discussion that males seldom enter. Also, traditionally men’s beauty is displayed in body mass, building muscle, and body building and therefore to discuss issues surrounding weight loss is not seen as particularly masculine because men “Don’t have psychological problems” and “Don’t talk about their feelings” even though men do suffer from anorexia.
The disease is far more common in the Western world than anywhere else and there is much cause for concern as recent research suggests that the disease is on the increase. The disease mostly manifests itself during adolescence when the signs of obvious weight loss become apparent. People who suffer from the disease have a genuine and constant terrifying fear of gaining weight, even when their weight is much less than people of their same height and stature.
Doctors have been able to characterize the disease because the sufferer’s body weight is about 15% below average for their height. Suffers also tend to avoid fatty foods, use laxatives, diuretics or engage in excessive exercise. Because people live in a world obsessed with image and a fashion and cosmetics industry that forces an image of the ideal body, it can sometimes be difficult to distinguish between anorexics and those who have a higher interest in their physical appearance than most people. Anorexics can be distinguished from non-anorexics because weight loss is completely self-induced vomiting until eventually the situation fast gets out of control.
Sufferers are also completely preoccupied with their bodies and actually believe themselves to be fat when in reality they are malnourished and starkly thinner than their peers. They also begin to lose interest in activities their peers are involved in such as socializing and very often become withdrawn. These are common symptoms in many adolescents but coupled with the obvious and drastic weight loss and lack of concentration it is easier to diagnose an adolescent with the beginning stages of anorexia.
The actual cause of the disease is unknown but scientists believe that biological and social factors play a role and sometimes the disease can be triggered by traumatic events such as a death in the family, stress or the onset of puberty.
While it is true that most sufferers of the disease are female, some 10% are male. Studies show that there are differences between male and female anorexics. Female sufferers tend to view themselves as fatter, more overweight than males with the same condition. Males tend to engage in less self-induced vomiting, take fewer laxatives and diuretics, are more motivation but have more physical complaints. It has also been suggested that there is a link between homosexuality and males afflicted by the disease. The actual figure is unknown and it is important to understand that such a link does not indicate that all male sufferers of anorexia nervosa or eating disorder are homosexual. Also there tends to be a higher rate in suicide attempts in male sufferers. The biggest problem, however, is diagnosing male anorexia or eating disorder because of the common belief that such diseases are essentially female although the medical profession is more aware of male anorexia than ever before.
Sufferers can go many years without treatment but eventually sufferers lose more body weight, as much as 25%-30%, which leads to chronic illness and even death. The mortality rate is as high as 5%. Others are lucky because sometimes the onset of the disease can temporarily complete recovery.
There is treatment for sufferers of this terrible disease. In some cases sufferers are treated by medication, usually when the disease is accompanied by severe depression. Usually though, sufferers are referred to a psychologist or a therapist and are encouraged to join self-help groups and are counseled by people who have first-hand experience of the disease themselves.
1.Why might a doctor wrongly diagnose an eating disorder in males as stress related?
2.In paragraph 3, why does the author infer that male beauty is different from female beauty?
3.In paragraph 5, why does the author say that it’s sometimes difficult to distinguish non-anorexics from genuine sufferers?
4.In paragraph 5, which of the following statements most accurately reflects the author’s opinion about the fashion and cosmetics industry?
5.In paragraph 6, why does the author state that in reality sufferers are malnourished and starkly thinner than their peers?
