I MAGE Traditionally considered female afflictions, eating disorders are affecting body-conscious men, as well. It's well documented that for women, body obsession can lead to extreme dieting and exercise. Hard to say.
Men are notoriously hesitant to seek psychological treatment, particularly for body-image disorders.
What we do know is that of the eight million Americans being treated for eating disorders, one million are men. According to Branum, men make up about 10 percent of anorexics and about 20 percent of bulimics. Nearly half of binge eaters are men. But eating disorders among men were documented in medical journals as far back as 1649. Recently, researchers at Massachusetts General Hospital found that gay men face a special risk for eating disorders, particularly bulimia.