3 minute read

Food struggles

Next Article
Calendar and quiz

Calendar and quiz

OUT IN THE OPEN

ONCE SEEN AS A PROBLEM MAINLY AFFECTING WOMEN, NOW A RISING NUMBER OF MALES ARE STRUGGLING WITH EATING DISORDERS AND BODY IMAGE ISSUES

WORDS BIANCA CARMONA

Young men chasing the “ideal” body are increasingly falling victim to eating disorders. Research commissioned by the Butterfly Foundation shows more than a third of people with eating disorders in Australia are male.

The charity’s national manager treatment and support services Michelle Sperling says the real figure could be higher as males are less likely to seek help.

“Men feel pressure to pump up their bodies and slim down, creating a combination of lean, bulky muscle,” Michelle says.

When does disciplined become disordered?

It is a fine line, according to doctor and psychiatry resident Kieran Kennedy, who has also been a natural bodybuilder and fitness model.

Dr Kennedy believes there is a grey area separating healthy motivation to build muscle and disordered eating.

“Just because you’re working out, thinking about what you’re putting in to your body or having goals to look a certain way, doesn’t mean you’ve got an eating disorder,” he says.

Warning signs

But he says there are red flags to note.

“For men it might be purging, over-exercising to the point of injury or there might be steroid use, that’s when the behaviours start to have risks,” Dr Kennedy says.

He says men are increasingly being bombarded with messages about achieving the ideal body and how to be “manly”.

“From as soon as we’re born, we’re told in certain ways that men don’t talk about emotions,” Dr Kennedy says.

“The really gut-wrenching thing for me is how long it takes for young guys to present for help.”

Speaking out

But he says the situation is being helped by celebrities including Ed Sheeran, who recently opened up about his struggle with disordered eating.

Former England cricketer Andrew “Freddie” Flintoff has revealed his struggles with bulimia, as has three-time AFL premiership player Mark Harvey.

Comedian Russell Brand and singer-songwriter Zayn Malik have also talked about their eating disorders.

“It’s positive when prominent people in society come out being honest about struggling with mental health, because it raises awareness,” Dr Kennedy says.

Concerns about social media

Men are sold “unrealistic representations” about what they should look like through images that are photoshopped or influencers on steroids, he says.

“So a lot of the photos men are seeing online, they think, ‘this guy looks like that all the time’, when actually that is what the guy looked like for two hours after three months of intense preparation.

“There’s a dangerous subconscious message to men that the photos they’re seeing is what they should be aiming for, when actually it’s not realistic or healthy to have your body in that state 24/7.”

Scott Griffiths, who leads a National Health and Medical Research Council-funded program on body image and eating disorders at the University of Melbourne, is wary of social media influencers selling products and programs.

“When the influencer is selling you a protein powder overlaid with a picture of them on a beach looking ‘jacked’ and they have tags like ‘be the best you can be’, it is a wolf in sheep’s clothing,” Dr Griffiths says.

Seek help

Dr Kennedy urges people to talk to their loved ones about concerns.

“Reach out and have the conversation about whether something is being harmful or helpful,” he says.

Butterfly Foundation 1800 334 673 butterfly.org.au Lifeline 131 114 lifeline.org.au Kids Helpline 1800 551 800 kidshelpline.com.au SANE Australia Helpline 1800 187 263 sane.org

Steroid abuse

Behind the chiselled abs and bulging biceps on our social media feeds, there’s another factor at play; illegal steroid use in Australia has skyrocketed.

Dr Griffiths says steroid use in NSW in the past 10 years has increased about 700 per cent, according to data from Australian Needle and Syringe Program surveys.

It is estimated about 10 per cent of that number are athletes trying to improve their performance, but Dr Griffiths says the rest are most likely regular gym goers looking to improve their appearance.

He tells the story of a patient who did not attend his best mate’s wedding because he was concerned about eating wedding cake.

Then there are more common stories of patients avoiding eating at restaurants and others meal prepping to the point where they refuse to go to lunch with their colleagues.

“When you’re starting to think like that, generally speaking, things aren’t going well,” Dr Griffiths says.

EAU DE PARFUM

@ASHLEYMESCIA @OLIVIAMESCIA

This article is from: