It would come as a surprise to many but the fact is that 5% of the total anorexics in America are actually men. It is mistakenly believed that this disorder is limited only to females, since the stereotypical male is not one who is skinny, but well built and powerful. In fact, the number of men who are being diagnosed with anorexia is increasing at an alarming rate.
The question which obviously arises is why would a male desire a thin figure? There can be many reasons for this. Sometimes even in the course of a normal diet a person could develop anorexic tendencies. Certain professional demands could also be responsible. For instance runners and jockeys have jobs which require a thin frame and thus the chances of them going in for diets and food reduction are more, as compared to, lets say, footballers or wrestlers. In the entertainment field, models and actors have to pay particular attention to the way they look. Thus, most of the men with eating disorders focus more on an athletic appearance or success than on just looking thin. Members of the gay community might also indulge in severe dieting programs to make themselves more attractive to other men. Men often begin an eating disorder at older ages than females do.
When dealing with a male anorexic, one has to be extra careful and must handle the situation with delicacy. Though both male and female patients need professional psychological help, for men it is all the more important as they do not wish to confess to suffering from what they believe is a woman’s problem. Researchers say that this reluctance of men to come out in the open could also mean that there are actually more men who are anorexic, than what the officially recorded figures might suggest.