The magazines most read by females ages 18-24 had 10 times more diet content than those most popular among men in the same age group. Sexual Attitudes, Behaviors and Endocrine Dysfunction Males with anorexia display a considerable degree of anxiety with regard to sexual activities and relationships. Corresponding with the reported sexual anxiety, low levels of sexual activity among the males with anorexia were also noted. Males with eating disorders were significantly less likely to have had sexual relations before the onset of their eating disorder, or to be involved in a sexual relationship at the time of evaluation than were females with eating disorders. In general the males with anorexia appeared to identify more closely with their mothers than with their fathers.
Homosexuals are over-represented in many samples of eating disordered men.
Body Image Body image concerns may be important predictors of eating disorders in males. The authors found that most of the men with eating disorders reported negative reactions from their peers. They reported being the last ones chosen for athletic teams and often cited being teased about their bodies as the times when they felt most ashamed of their bodies. They tend to be closer to their mothers than their fathers. Andersen, R.E., et al.