Gay Men are More at Risk of Developing Eating Disorders

Men who are gay or bisexual can run a greater risk of developing an eating disorder than heterosexual men, according to a study conducted by researchers at the Mailman School of Public Health at Columbia University.

What are eating disorders?

The National Institute of Mental Health describes an eating disorder as “an illness that causes serious disturbances to your everyday diet, such as eating extremely small amounts of food or severely overeating.” It explains that eating disorders can be caused by a wide range of factors, including psychological, genetic or social factors, or a combination of these. Whatever the cause, eating disorders are not to be taken lightly, as they can lead to serious medical problems and may even be life threatening. Fortunately, there is help available for sufferers, such as the assistance on offer at the Florida bulimia treatment center. One of the most effective treatments for eating disorders is psychotherapy, which can take many different forms including Cognitive Behavioral Therapy. Other forms of psychotherapy such as art therapy or music therapy have also been found to be successful in treating eating disorders. The most important thing however, is that sufferers receive professional help as quickly as possible.

Eating disorder study

In the Columbia study, researchers studied 516 residents of New York City, 126 of who were straight men and the rest were bisexual males and females. They found that as many as 15% of gay or bisexual males had suffered an eating disorder, or at least experienced symptoms of one, at some point in their life. This compared to a figure of only 5% for heterosexual men.

Interestingly, the researchers didn’t find any significant link between sexual orientation and the likelihood of developing an eating disorder among women. Among the study participants, just under 10% of lesbian and bisexual women reported experiencing an eating disorder, compared to 8% of heterosexual women.

“It is not clear why gay men have high rates of eating disorders,” commented Dr. Meyer, PhD, principal investigator of the study. “One theory is that the values and norms in the gay men’s community promote a body-centered focus and high expectations about physical appearance, so that, similar to what has been theorized about heterosexual women, they may feel pressure to maintain an ideal body image.”

The researchers attempted to test this theory by investigating whether gay and bisexual men who were more active in the gay community were more likely to develop an eating disorder than those without such a close affiliation. However, they were unable to find any significant difference.

“Even gay and bisexual men who participate in gay gyms, where body-focus and community values regarding attractiveness would be heightened, did not have higher rates of eating disorders than those gay and bisexual men who participated in non-gay gyms or who did not participate in a gym at all,” explained Dr. Meyer. “This suggests that factors other than values and norms in the gay community are related to the higher rates of eating disorder among these men.”

Possible explanations for the increased risk

The National Eating Disorders Association puts forward its own theories as to why people in the LGBT community are more likely to develop an eating disorder. One possible explanation could be related to the combination of stressors that gay people experience as a result of their sexual orientation, such as the stress of coming out to friends or work colleagues, which can lead to feelings of anxiety and loss of self-confidence. These feelings can trigger the need for a coping mechanism, and food can be one way of meeting this need.

Other factors that the National Eating Disorders Association suggests may contribute to an increased eating disorder risk among LGBT people include:

• The development of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) as a result of experiencing violence because of their sexual orientation. Research has shown that PTSD can make people more susceptible to an eating disorder.
• Being the victim of discrimination or bullying.
• Experiencing rejection from friends or family because of their sexual orientation.
• Being homeless – around 42% of young people who are homeless identify themselves as LGBT.

Additional study findings

The National Eating Disorders Association also discusses other research conducted into the incidence of eating disorders amongst the LGBT community.

One study apparently found that boys who identified as being gay or bisexual were more likely to have fasted or vomited in an attempt to control their weight.

According to a different study, a disproportionate number of gay men experienced body image issues and eating disorders – the study found that although gay men only account for an estimated 5% of the male population, 42% of men who reported suffering from an eating disorder at some stage in their lives identified themselves as gay.