As society continues to idealize a strong muscular physique, many males equate fat with weakness. They try to diet, it doesn't work and they restrict their food even more. For those who are predisposed to eating disorders, starting a weight loss diet can trigger the process. About 45 percent of binge eaters are men. Eating for emotional reasons, they consume large amounts of food in short periods of time, feel out of control and are usually ashamed of their actions.
Bulimics also consume large amounts of food, but their bingeing is followed by purging.
Unlike female bulimics who turn to self-induced vomiting or laxatives abuse, male bulimics often purge through excessive exercise. Anorexia, or self-starvation, is the least diagnosed disorder. Certain athletes, such as jockeys, wrestlers, swimmers and marathoners, are especially at risk because their sports place a heavy emphasis on weight and body size. An individual with an eating disorder might also develop unusual rituals about where or how they eat. While an overall better body image among males keeps the number with eating disorders low, this group is not totally immune to societal pressures to shape up.