Anorexia in boys
Christiane Fux studied journalism and psychology in Hamburg. The experienced medical editor has been writing magazine articles, news and factual texts on all conceivable health topics since 2001. In addition to her work for, Christiane Fux is also active in prose. Her first crime novel was published in 2012, and she also writes, designs and publishes her own crime plays.
More posts by Christiane Fux All content is checked by medical journalists.Anorexia doesn't just happen to girls. Young men can also develop an eating disorder. Because today boys often want one thing above all else: to look great. A good figure is right at the top of the beauty wish list. But this desire can take on a life of its own - then it becomes dangerous.
The longing for the dream body is so strong, even in boys, that it does not lead to abnormal eating behavior that rarely: 15 percent of boys between the ages of 11 and 17 show symptoms of an eating disorder. Sometimes they cannot stop eating and then vomit on purpose, they find themselves too fat even though they are already very thin - or they lose weight very much because they hardly eat anything.
The pressure to be attractive
There are various explanations for why male adolescents develop eating disorders less often than girls. One is that being slim and beautiful is less important to their self-image. But that is changing more and more: Even boys are coming under increasing pressure in view of the perfect bodies in advertising and in social networks.
While girls primarily want to be as thin as possible, the ideal male body not only has as little fat as possible, it is also muscular. "Adoniskomplex" is the name of the phenomenon when young men do everything to pump up their muscles. In the beginning, it's even about gaining weight - muscle mass at that.
Cravings for pizza
In the long term, however, the cult of the body can turn into the opposite: If you only eat protein all the time, you will eventually get cravings for something else. But if you are so disciplined, almost compulsively, forbid certain foods, then every pizza and every chocolate bar will be on your conscience. The boys are starting to control their eating habits more and more. At some point the struggle with the desire to eat becomes independent. And so part of the obsessive occupation with their bodies slips into an eating disorder: they starve, exercise to the point of exhaustion - and become frighteningly thin.
In addition to rapid weight loss, there are other typical signals for anorexia, as doctors call anorexia: One is the disturbed body image. Although anorexic people are already skinny, they find themselves too fat. In addition, there is the panic fear of increasing. The thoughts revolve around food and the figure - the body becomes part of life.
Control over your own body
Whether girl or boy: Anorexics are often very performance-oriented and have a strong need for control. The fact that they repeatedly manage to overcome hunger and the desire to eat gives them a special kick that strengthens their self-confidence. At first it rains admiring comments: “You look great!” Or “How did you do it?” That motivates us to keep losing weight. But even if the others find you too thin, the fight against every gram of fat continues - even if there is hardly any left. Anorexics usually refuse help because that would mean that they would have to gain weight.
Damage to the organs
This fight against itself is dangerous: at some point the starving body breaks down muscle protein in order to meet its energy requirements - including in the organs such as the heart, liver, kidneys and brain. In addition, the bones become brittle. In adolescents who are supposed to be growing, anorexia leads to stunted growth - they stay small, which is likely to bother boys in particular. Above all, however, renouncing food is life-threatening: If the body mass index (BMI), i.e. the ratio of body weight to body size, falls below 18.5, then underweight begins. From a BMI of 14 it becomes dangerous.
Deadly starvation
15 to 20 percent of male patients starve themselves to death. For girls it is ten percent. Because in boys and men, an eating disorder is often only noticed later - and only when it is very advanced. Sometimes doctors don't even think about the diagnosis of anorexia when they are faced with an emaciated young man. Anorexia is still considered a problem for women - that is firmly entrenched in most people's minds. In addition, boys are embarrassed to suffer from a “women’s disease”. That is why they deny and hide their problem more carefully than young women.
Way out of anorexia
The way out of anorexia is usually long and hardly manageable without therapeutic help. It is by no means just about gaining weight. An important goal is to strengthen self-esteem. The pressure to be as perfect as possible is also gradually being relieved. As part of the therapy, young people learn to perceive feelings and needs that they have suppressed for so long in the first place. And they develop normal eating behavior again. In severe cases, a stay in a clinic is necessary.
You can find more information and help here:
- You can get anonymous help under the "number against Kummer": 0800-1110333. The advisors there can also tell you about offers of help in the area.
- http://www.bzga-essstoerungen.de
- https://www.anad.de
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