$Unique_ID{BRK01207}
$Pretitle{Mental and Emotional Conditions}
$Title{Is it Possible For a Young Man to Have Anorexia?}
$Subject{anorexia diet male}
$Volume{E-26, E-23}
$Log{}

Copyright (c) 1991   Tribune Media Services, Inc.


Is it Possible For a Young Man to Have Anorexia?


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QUESTION:  My brother looks terrible, he is very thin and refuses to eat a
thing.  And just a few years ago he was overweight.  His doctor told my
parents that he is suffering from anorexia, but I always thought that was a
disease of women.  Is it possible for a young man to have this disease?

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ANSWER:  Absolutely.  Although it is a fact that most cases of anorexia
nervosa is seen in women, about 5 percent to 10 percent of the time, it is man
with the disorder.  And the numbers are growing by leaps and bounds with the
number of cases reported in the general population almost doubling over the
last 20 years.  The first notation of male anorexia was published by Dr. R.
Morton in England back in 1689, and many other articles describing the
condition in males have been published since then.  Your brother's case is
typical as in many cases anorexia is seen in young men who were overweight
teenagers.  Although they begin by dieting normally, this changes into the
type of behavior that results in serious weight losses.  They believe that
there body weight is not correct for their appearance, and that they are not
too thin.  This differs a bit from women who try for excessive thinness, and
diet to attain that state.  Some experts believe that the reason for anorectic
behavior in males represents an attempt to establish their own sense of
identity.  Men are affected less frequently than women probably due to the
fact that there is less social pressure on them to be slim.  The normal
adolescent male is more concerned with muscle mass, and a well formed body,
than just being slim.  However, this condition should be treated seriously,
for it may have dramatic affects upon the heart, hormone systems, as well as
the kidney and blood.  And males are more difficult to treat than women.
Therapy may include nursing care and nutritious diets, tube feeding if
necessary, behavior modification, pyschotherapy and the use of medications.
In some cases the use of antidepressants has met with success, including
tricyclics and more recently fluoextine.  The course of therapy may be long
but certainly hope for a good outcome is both reasonable and rational.
ÿ
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The material contained here is "FOR INFORMATION ONLY" and should not replace 
the counsel and advice of your personal physician.  Promptly consulting your 
doctor is the best path to a quick and successful resolution of any medical 
problem.
