Men Underrepresented in Eating Disorder Research
Posted on Nov 1st, 2011 |
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Traditionally, the general perception has been that eating disorders are a lifestyle choice that primarily affects women. As research leads to a greater understanding of eating disorders, they are recognized as a serious mental disorder that affects individuals of all ages, both genders and all races.
While research is expanding the understanding of eating disorders, in many ways what research has uncovered isn’t changing how the research itself is being conducted. Men are increasingly being admitted to treatment programs for eating disorders, but the bulk of research continues to lean heavily on data obtained from women.
A recent study appearing in the International Journal of Eating Disorders shows that even in a disorder that affects both men and women, like binge eating disorder, men are still underrepresented when it comes to research studies. Binge eating disorder is just as medically difficult for men as it is for women, but the number of men seeking treatment is much lower than the actual number of men estimated to suffer from the eating disorder.
Lead author of the study, Dr. Ruth H. Striegel of Wesleyan University in Connecticut, explains that while it is known that binge eating is associated with obesity, diabetes and hypertension, most of the evidence is based on studies that largely focus on females. The concern is that with men not equally represented in research, men may be hesitant to disclose a possible problem to their doctor, or doctors may be less likely to consider the possibility of an eating disorder when assessing criteria for a diagnosis.
The researchers analyzed information using a cross-sectional design, compiling data for 21,743 men and 24,608 women. The participants had undergone a screening for health risks. The researchers used the data to look for patterns related to obesity, diabetes, hypertension, depression, dyslipidemia and work productivity impairment.
The analysis revealed that of 46,351 individuals questioned, there were 1,630 males and 2,754 females that were binge eaters (qualified as having a least one binge eating episode during the past 30 days). The examination of the impact of binge eating on both physical and mental health measures showed that binge eating disorder was similar in men and women.
The study also provided evidence that binge eating significantly affects work productivity in both genders. This finding shows that there may be support for treating eating disorders similarly to depression and stress, as mental disorders that can have a significant impact on work performance.
