Text Link

Learn more about the results we get at Within

Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Suspendisse varius enim in eros elementum tristique. Duis cursus, mi quis viverra ornare, eros dolor interdum nulla, ut commodo diam libero vitae erat. Aenean faucibus nibh et justo cursus id rutrum lorem imperdiet. Nunc ut sem vitae risus tristique posuere.

Learn more about the results we get at Within

Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Suspendisse varius enim in eros elementum tristique. Duis cursus, mi quis viverra ornare, eros dolor interdum nulla, ut commodo diam libero vitae erat. Aenean faucibus nibh et justo cursus id rutrum lorem imperdiet. Nunc ut sem vitae risus tristique posuere.

Bulimia nervosa in men

Bulimia nervosa (BN) may be one of the most widely-recognized eating disorders in the United States. However, to more people reach recovery, a lot must be learned—and unlearned—about the condition, including a focus on bulimia nervosa in men. 

One of the biggest misconceptions about bulimia nervosa is that it only impacts girls and women. But a significant number of people of all genders, including boys and men, also struggle with the disorder—and their experience may look very different than how bulimia nervosa is commonly understood.

12
 sources cited
Last updated on 
February 16, 2023
Bulimia nervosa in men
In this article

What percentage of men struggle with bulimia nervosa?

Studies have found that bulimia nervosa affects 0.1% to 1.6% of men in the United States, which translates to well over a million men living with this eating disorder alone.1

Among all patients struggling with the disorder, roughly 10% are cisgender men, according to one widely-cited analysis—though some reports have put that number as high as 25%.2

And certain groups of men have also been found to be particularly high risk for developing BN. Within the gay men population, up to 14% of men reportedly struggle with bulimia nervosa.3 And male athletes—especially those in college—also present a heightened risk, with one study finding men making up one of every three college athletes screened for disordered eating behavior.4

How do bulimia nervosa symptoms present in men?

Several factors make it difficult to accurately determine the prevalence of male eating disorders, including how many men struggle with bulimia nervosa. And one of them is due to the different ways the disorder tends to present in cisgender men compared to cisgender women.

Binging and purging behaviors 

Both men and women experience cycles of binge eating and purging (self-induced vomiting) when struggling with bulimia nervosa. Still, they may express these disordered eating behaviors differently and for different reasons. Some studies found that these cycles for men—and, particularly, athletes—fall more along the lines of certain muscle-building routines, which call for periods of "bulking" and "cutting" weight.5

In these cases, binging episodes are considered either part of a "bulking" phase (body weight gain) or a dietary cheat meal, and they are treated as more socially acceptable in men, even when they result in a loss of control over how much food is eaten.1 Similarly, purging episodes may be tied less to the guilt caused by binge eating and more to the concept of "cutting" weight after bulking.1

And while these routines may be started intentionally, they can develop into a form of bulimia nervosa through the creation of undue stress or the triggering of several other factors. 

Regardless of the driver, however, men generally tend to use alternate compensation methods—such as excessive exercise or fasting—to compensate for binge eating, as opposed to more stereotypical BN behaviors, such as self-induced vomiting or laxative abuse.2

Dietary concerns and fixations 

A fixation on food is also common among people struggling with BN, though men may focus on different aspects and outcomes of their diet.

While women who struggle with bulimia nervosa tend to fixate on food to lose or manipulate weight, men tend to be more preoccupied with foods or diets that help them bulk up. This could mean focusing on specific foods or certain diet routines to optimize workouts or muscle building.

Both groups are similar in that they will experience these thoughts frequently and obsessively, to the point where they become disruptive to everyday life.

Body image concerns and issues

Unfortunately, poor body image and low self-esteem are very common among people struggling with an eating disorder, including bulimia nervosa. But one of the primary reasons bulimia nervosa is often expressed differently in cisgender men and cisgender women is the different cultural expectations placed on their bodies.

While women are taught through a number of social and cultural cues that thinness is the ideal, men are shown that a lean and muscular build is their preferred body type. In fact, one study found male models having consistently smaller waists, larger biceps and chests, and less body fat and more muscle over the last several decades.6

The number of boys and men trying to keep up with that ideal has also grown, with up to 60% of American boys in one recent study saying they've intentionally manipulated their diet to gain muscle.1

Up to 60% of American boys manipulate their diet to gain muscle.

The trend mirrors another growing concern among cisgender men called muscle dysmorphia. With onset primarily in cisgender men during later adolescence, the condition causes a distorted image of how muscular someone is. As a result, these patients tend to feel they are skinnier, "punier," or "flabbier" than they appear.

Though research on the concept is still relatively new, muscle dysmorphia has been linked to unhelpful thought and behavioral patterns that can lead to eating disorders, including bulimia nervosa.1

Challenges with diagnosing bulimia nervosa in men

Aside from the different ways bulimia nervosa manifests in cisgender men, some complications may make it challenging to correctly diagnose boys and men with the condition.

Much of what is currently known about bulimia nervosa is based on studies conducted exclusively on cisgender women patients. In fact, a number of hallmark signs and symptoms of these eating disorder behaviors are also based on this research, including some—such as amenorrhea or the disruption of a menstrual cycle—that have no equivalent in cisgender men's bodies.

The lack of research on how the disorder impacts men may make it more difficult for doctors to see or understand the signs and symptoms of bulimia nervosa in men or for men to even see or understand these symptoms within themselves.

As with most other eating disorders and mental health concerns, cases may be underreported due to the social stigma around the topic. For cisgender men struggling with bulimia nervosa, it may be even more challenging to speak up or seek treatment, thanks to the compounding misconception that the condition only impacts women.

While understanding how bulimia nervosa develops and manifests in cisgender men and boys is limited, research is even more limited regarding the experiences of transgender individuals experiencing BN, including transgender women, transgender men, and non-binary people. 

When to get help

Bulimia nervosa remains a dangerous and potentially even deadly disorder, whether or not it's officially diagnosed, in men, women, or non-binary people. Thankfully, treatment for bulimia nervosa can provide a path to healing, and many people do recover.7

If you exhibit signs and symptoms of bulimia nervosa or any type of disordered eating, please reach out for support as soon as possible. Remember that when it comes to gender, eating disorders do not discriminate.

The more quickly these behaviors can be addressed, the better the chances of overall recovery. But it's important also to remember that it's never too late to start down the path toward healing.

Disclaimer about "overeating": Within Health hesitatingly uses the word "overeating" because it is the term currently associated with this condition in society, however, we believe it inherently overlooks the various psychological aspects of this condition which are often interconnected with internalized diet culture, and a restrictive mindset about food. For the remainder of this piece, we will therefore be putting "overeating" in quotations to recognize that the diagnosis itself pathologizes behavior that is potentially hardwired and adaptive to a restrictive mindset.

Resources

  1. Gorrell, S., & Murray, S. B. (2019). Eating Disorders in Males. Child and adolescent psychiatric clinics of North America, 28(4), 641–651.
  2. Strother, E., Lemberg, R., Stanford, S. C., & Turberville, D. (2012). Eating disorders in men: underdiagnosed, undertreated, and misunderstood. Eating disorders, 20(5), 346–355.
  3. Strübel, J., & Petrie, T. A. (2020). Sexual orientation, eating disorder classification, and men’s psychosocial well-being. Psychology of Men & Masculinities, 21(2), 190–200.
  4. Eisenberg, D., Nicklett, E. J., Roeder, K., & Kirz, N. E. (2011). Eating disorder symptoms among college students: prevalence, persistence, correlates, and treatment-seeking. Journal of American college health, 59(8), 700–707.
  5. Weltzin, T. E., Weisensel, N., Franczyk, D., Burnett, K., Klitz, C., & Bean, P. (2005). Eating disorders in men: Update. The Journal of Men's Health & Gender, 2(2), 186–193.
  6. Pope, H.G., Phillips, K.A., & Olivardia, R. (2000). The Adonis Complex: The Secret Crisis of Male Body Obsession.
  7. Eddy, K. T., Tabri, N., Thomas, J. J., Murray, H. B., Keshaviah, A., Hastings, E., Edkins, K., Krishna, M., Herzog, D. B., Keel, P. K., & Franko, D. L. (2017). Recovery From Anorexia Nervosa and Bulimia Nervosa at 22-Year Follow-Up. The Journal of Clinical Psychiatry, 78(2), 184–189.

FAQs

Further reading

Antidepressants and bulimia

Antidepressants and bulimia nervosa

Bulimia nervosa (BN) is a debilitating and dangerous eating disorder that can lead to numerous health...
Orthorexia and bulimia

The relationship between orthorexia and bulimia

Orthorexia nervosa (ON) is a more recently acknowledged disorder. While yet to be recognized by the DSM...
Bulimia nervosa in men

Bulimia nervosa in men

Bulimia nervosa (BN) may be one of the most widely-recognized eating disorders in the United States...
Bulimia recovery at home

Tips for recovering from bulimia nervosa at home

Although experiencing bulimia nervosa (BN), a serious eating disorder, can be challenging and scary, many...

Psychological causes of bulimia nervosa

Bulimia nervosa (BN) is a psychiatric disorder that involves recurrent episodes...

How to safely manage weight in bulimia recovery

When in bulimia recovery, or after recovering from another eating disorder...

Bulimia during pregnancy: What to expect

Pregnancy can be momentous and miraculous, but can bulimia affect...

What is non-purging bulimia?

Non-purging bulimia is a type of bulimia nervosa (BN) in which excessive exercise...

What causes bulimia nervosa?

Bulimia nervosa (BN) is a serious eating disorder that has many different causes, which...

Understanding bulimia in men

While the majority of people with bulimia nervosa (BN) are women, men and people of...

Eating disorder treatment programs for male teens

Eating disorders can be very distressing for teen boys, and may have detr...

Signs and symptoms of bulimia nervosa

Bulimia nervosa (BN) is a serious illness that can be life threatening when left un...

Setting treatment goals for bulimia nervosa

As any healing process commences, it is important to have goals in mind as they can...

Returning to “normal” eating after bulimia treatment

When entering treatment for bulimia nervosa (BN), individuals typically present...

Eating disorder treatment programs for men

Men are affected by eating disorders like any other gender. Millions of men struggle...

How to tell your loved ones you have bulimia

Telling your loved ones, family, or parents that you have bulimia nervosa (BN) can...

How to talk about bulimia nervosa

When you’re living with an eating disorder, like bulimia nervosa (BN), you can get...

How to stop bulimia

Bulimia nervosa is a complex eating disorder that often comes with feelings of...

How to help someone with bulimia

It can be incredibly difficult when someone you love is struggling with bulimia...

Examining the bulimia death rate

Eating disorders are among the most dangerous—and deadly—diagnoses in the...

Do I have bulimia?

If you’ve been struggling with your eating habits lately, and especially if you’ve...

Can bulimia kill you?

Bulimia nervosa (BN) is a serious eating disorder that affects up to 4.6% of women and...
woman by window

What is bulimia nervosa (BN)?

Bulimia nervosa (BN) is an eating disorder that affects between 0.5% and 1.5% of...
Fatphobia is alive and rampant in the gay male community

Fatphobia is alive and rampant in the gay male community

Fatphobia and weight stigma are unfortunately rampant in among gay men, in...
Eating disorders in men are underdiagnosed and undertreated

Eating disorders in men are underdiagnosed and undertreated

It’s a common misconception that only teen girls and young women struggle with eating disorders, like...