The adolescent male with an eating disorder.
While it is clear that males and females with eating disorders share more features in common than dissimilarities, males are distinctive in their past histories of obesity, sexual identity concerns, defensive dieting, and dieting in relationship to sports participation. All adolescents with an eating disorder are likely to be guarded in terms of disclosing items affecting their psychological state. Young men may be more so. In light of this fact, diagnosis of these disorders in adolescent male patients still depends on ruling out possible organic etiologies, thoroughly assessing the adolescent's mental status, and looking for underlying psychiatric symptoms. The association between mood disorders, namely depression, and obsessive-compulsive disorder as well as other anxiety disorders is as strong in young males with eating disorders as with females. Assessment of developmental and nutritional status is key to the diagnosis and is helpful in monitoring recovery. Standards of monitoring other than weight are important and have been outlined. Lastly, family psychodynamics must be addressed in order to provide the eating-disordered young man with more control as well as more independence in order that he take more personal responsibility for a healthier lifestyle.
Farrow
J A
JA
Division of Adolescent Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle 98195.
D000293:Adolescent; D000294:Adolescent Behavior; D000856:Anorexia Nervosa / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000628:therapy; D002032:Bulimia / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000628:therapy; D002648:Child; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D015995:Prevalence; D012737:Sex Factors; D013177:Sports