Sweeting, H. , Walker, L., MacLean, A., Patterson, C. , Räisänen, U. and Hunt, K. (2015) Prevalence of eating disorders in males: a review of rates reported in academic research and UK mass media. International Journal of Men's Health, 14(2), (doi: 10.3149/jmh.1402.86) (PMID:26290657) (PMCID:PMC4538851)
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Publisher's URL: http://www.mensstudies.info/OJS/index.php/IJMH/article/view/702
Abstract
Media presentations of health issues affect evaluations of personal susceptibility to particular illnesses and hence help-seeking behaviours. We examined data on prevalence of eating disorders (EDs—which are often characterised as “female”) among males in: scientific literature; readily-accessible web-based information; and UK newspaper articles (published 7/12/2002-7/12/2012). This revealed conflicting statistics. Academic papers suggest men comprise around 25% of community-based samples, but much lower proportions (10% or less) of clinic samples. Websites and newspapers presented widely differing statistics both on prevalence overall (numbers with EDs in the UK ranged from 60,000 to 2.7 million), and in men (generally suggesting they constituted 10-25% of those with EDs), rarely distinguishing between diagnosed and non-diagnosed samples. By 2011, newspapers were more consistent on overall numbers with EDs in the UK (1.6 million) and the proportion who were men (20%), drawing on one website as the authoritative source. Conflicting statistics may confuse men searching for ED (or other) health-related information, lead to underestimations of male susceptibility to EDs and/or reinforce inappropriate stereotypes of EDs as confined to adolescent girls.
| Item Type: | Articles |
|---|---|
| Status: | Published |
| Refereed: | Yes |
| Glasgow Author(s) Enlighten ID: | Hunt, Professor Kathryn and Hunter, Miss Laura and Patterson, Dr Chris and MacLean, Dr Alice and Sweeting, Dr Helen |
| Authors: | Sweeting, H., Walker, L., MacLean, A., Patterson, C., Räisänen, U., and Hunt, K. |
| College/School: | College of Medical Veterinary and Life Sciences > School of Health & Wellbeing > MRC/CSO SPHSU |
| Journal Name: | International Journal of Men's Health |
| Publisher: | Men's Studies Press |
| ISSN: | 1532-6306 |
| ISSN (Online): | 1933-0278 |
| Copyright Holders: | Copyright © 2015 Men’s Studies Press, LLC |
| First Published: | First published in International Journal of Men's Health 14(2) |
| Publisher Policy: | Reproduced in accordance with the copyright policy of the publisher |
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