It is believed that bulimia and anorexia are common eating disorders that strike girls. The statement is true of course; however, it has come to the notice of many eating disorder treatment centers, that there is a rise in the case of even men who are checking in for treatment related to eating disorders.  Though significantly smaller in number compared to women, males also suffer from these eating disorders.

Risk factor for eating disorders in boys:

1. Boys who are involved in sports that need a lean body for instance, long distances running, wrestling, gymnastics etc tend to suffer from eating disorder.
2. Being fat and chubby compared to other boys in their age can make them feel guilty about their body-type and make them avoid food or do binge-eating.
3. Depression and sadness can also kick in eating disorder in boys.
4. Alcohol abuse has also been found to be a big risk factor for boys to develop eating disorders.

Eating disorders have been thought to be a ‘girl problem' which is why eating disorders in boys go unnoticed by parents, teachers and even doctors.   But depression is a problem that can affect both males and girls equally, and it is possible that boys may over-eat and purge or avoid eating because of some grief or looming sadness. Eating disorder treatment centers have found that boys are also casual about their eating habits and eat wrong things that can lead to eating disorders.

The reason why girls suffer from eating disorders is because unlike girls who reach puberty early and are not comfortable with the changes in their body, boys who reach puberty later are better equipped to deal with physical changes.  Teenage girls are not satisfied with their body types and they always tend to be envious about other girls who they think have a better body.  Boys on the other hand, do not care much about these things and are comfortable with their bodies and most of their thoughts are about befriending the opposite sex rather than brood about their body.  Also as boys mature, they tend to shed fat and get muscular naturally while girls tend to retain body fat, which makes them more skeptical.

Boys have a better metabolic rate, which is why they are able to digest food faster than girls; and they can lose weight, maintain it and gain it with some diet changes and exercise but girls have to work harder for a better body.   Also girls generally tend to be more constipated and have more irritable bowel symptoms compared to boys. So we see that naturally girls are prone to suffer from eating disorders as they suffer more digestive problems, they are doubly harangued about their body-type and there is more media pressure and societal pressure, not to mention their own vanity to look good and desirable.   So yes, eating disorders are more common with females but that does not mean guys are completely spared.  So let us not have a stereotypical attitude and make sure that both girls and boys get the best treatment at eating disorder treatment centers to get over various types of eating disorders.