When people talk about eating disorders, the focus is usually on women.
And while it’s true that women are heavily affected, men are often left out of the conversation entirely. The thing is, eating disorders don’t discriminate by gender. Men experience them too, often in silence, shame, or complete invisibility. In fact, Priory estimates that 25% of those with eating disorders are men. However, because of cultural stigma and outdated narratives around masculinity, many men don’t even realise they’re struggling, let alone seek support. Here are some of the biggest things people often miss about how eating disorders impact men, and why this issue deserves more attention.
1. Many men don’t recognise they have an eating disorder.
Because most public conversation around eating disorders focuses on women, many men assume that their relationship with food, body image, or exercise can’t possibly qualify. They might downplay their symptoms or think they’re just “being disciplined.”
This misunderstanding leads to a dangerous delay in recognising what’s really going on. Disordered eating doesn’t always look like extreme thinness—it can also show up as obsession, restriction, bingeing, purging, or compulsive behaviours masked as “fitness.”
2. Body image pressure affects men more than people realise.
The pressure to be lean, muscular, and “shredded” has quietly become just as relentless for men. Social media, gym culture, and unrealistic male body ideals have created a narrow standard that leaves many men constantly feeling like they’re falling short.
This can lead to obsessive dieting, dangerous bulking and cutting cycles, and a deep sense of shame around their appearance. While it might be framed as “self-improvement,” it often masks deep insecurity and disordered thinking.
3. Muscle dysmorphia is underdiagnosed and misunderstood.
Sometimes called “bigorexia,” muscle dysmorphia is a form of body dysmorphia where someone becomes fixated on the belief that they’re too small or not muscular enough, even when they’re objectively very fit. This can lead to extreme exercise routines, steroid use, restrictive eating, and emotional distress. It’s more common in men than many realise, yet rarely discussed or treated with the same seriousness as other eating disorders.
4. Shame often keeps men from getting help.
Traditional masculinity tells men to be tough, in control, and emotionally contained. Admitting to having an eating disorder—something often wrongly framed as feminine—can feel like breaking every unspoken rule about what it means to be a “real man.” That shame can be paralysing. It leads many men to suffer in silence, convincing themselves that they’re just being disciplined or need more willpower, rather than acknowledging the harm they’re experiencing.
5. Overexercising can be a masked symptom.
Excessive gym time or compulsive cardio is often praised in men as commitment or “grind mode.” However, for some, it’s part of a disordered cycle—a way to compensate for food intake, control anxiety, or punish themselves for perceived flaws. Because this behaviour is so socially accepted, especially in gym culture, it’s easy to miss when it crosses the line into obsession. However, when exercise stops being joyful or flexible, it’s a red flag worth paying attention to.
6. Men often present with different symptoms than women.
While many women with eating disorders may focus on thinness, men are more likely to focus on leanness and muscularity. They may also engage more frequently in binge eating, overtraining, or supplement misuse. This difference in presentation means that many standard screening tools and diagnostic criteria fail to capture the male experience, leaving countless men undiagnosed or mislabelled entirely.
7. The mental toll is just as serious, even if it’s hidden.
Disordered eating doesn’t just impact the body. It takes a massive toll on mental health, fuelling anxiety, depression, low self-esteem, irritability, and emotional isolation. For men, these symptoms often go unnoticed or are brushed off as general stress.
Because men are often taught to hide or minimise their emotional pain, these deeper issues can build over time until they become overwhelming. Therapy, support, and proper diagnosis can make a huge difference, but only if people know what to look for.
8. Many men suffer in silence for years.
Because of the stigma and lack of awareness, many men don’t seek help until the problem becomes severe, or they may not seek help at all. Some go years without telling a single person about what they’re going through. The isolation only deepens the shame and makes recovery feel even more out of reach. But healing becomes possible the moment the silence is broken. Just naming what’s happening can be a turning point.
9. Support systems don’t always recognise the signs.
Friends, partners, and even medical professionals often miss the signs of eating disorders in men because they’re not expecting them. They might interpret weight loss as intentional, strict eating as “healthy,” or gym obsession as admirable. Sadly, that makes early intervention harder, but also more important. Knowing what to watch for, and understanding that eating disorders look different in different bodies, helps everyone become a better source of support.
10. Recovery is possible, and just as necessary for men.
Men deserve the same chance at recovery as anyone else. Therapy, nutrition support, and community healing can be just as powerful and effective, but only when men are welcomed into the conversation without shame or stereotype. There’s strength in naming the struggle, and even more in choosing to heal. It’s time we stop treating eating disorders as a gendered issue, and start seeing them for what they are: a human one. If you’re struggling and need help today, you can text ‘SHOUT‘ to 85258 to talk to someone 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Samaritans is also available at 116 123.
