While the media is not the cause of eating disorders, it is a significant influence. They begin to despise their bodies and become conflicted as to their manhood. In order to accomplish this they reduce weight through restricting food intake and excessive exercise to attempt to reshape their bodies. The answer may simply lie in the fact that eating disorders have traditionally and culturally been labeled a female disorder, particularly, a white, adolescent female. In fact, male wrestlers, crew and lightweight football players have been noted to be more at risk for eating disorders than the general male population due to the need to be fastidious with weight control and body building.
More men report suffering with bulimia as opposed to anorexia.
The reason may be explained that culturally it is acceptable for men to eat large amounts of food. But for a male suffering with a body image issue, purging after he eats these large meals, is his method of control. Both males and females manifest their eating disorder similarly. Though they may give different reasons for their dieting behaviors. The most common underlying psychological factors that lead men and women to develop eating disorders are the same.