Men and Eating Disorders
It isn't only women that are affected. Read the Auroran newspaper article about a generous donation to provide support for males.
“From one man to another…
For decades, I stood in front of medical professionals with obvious signs of an eating disorder, yet time and time again, I was failed. Because I am a man, they looked right past my struggle - right through the darkness.
Riverwalk was the first place that didn't just look - they actually SAW me. They didn't let me slip through the cracks … right from my very first call.
To the men who have been dismissed by the system, who struggle with the darkness: Your pain is real, you deserve to be seen, and there are people out there who will finally listen.
You are not a unicorn. You are not alone. You are “us,” and we are formidable, healthy men shining bright with light, leading the way for other men.
Reach out. You’ll find more than help, more than allies - you’ll find your people and quite possibly your purpose!
Be well, be strong - help exists and it’s life-changing.“
(Contributed in 2026 by Riverwalk Eating Disorders and Wellness Centres participant.)
Myth…
Men are not at risk for eating disorders.
Fact…
One of the first two cases of anorexia reported was in a male. In a study of 10,000 residents of Ontario, the University of Toronto researchers found that 1 of every 6 people who qualified for a full or partial diagnosis of anorexia was male – substantially more than the 1 in 10 usually reported in studies of patients in eating-disorder programs - New York Times, 2005.
Articles
NEDIC Blog Post - “Speak Up a Call Out to the Guys”
Deseret News - Male Eating Disorders: “Treatment Works and People Get Their Lives Back”
Toronto Star - Male Anorexia Common but Hidden (front page story)
Canada.com - The new face of eating disorders: Men starving themselves to look like the pictures in magazines
Actor Ashley Hamilton Battled Bulimia And Anorexia George Hamilton's actor son has opened up about his struggle with anorexia and bulimia to help others battling eating disorders. Read the article here.
Click here to read the article on the Eating Disorders in Men.
Are More Men Getting Eating Disorders? an article in The Guardian
View a multimedia piece, “Manorexia”, made by University of Guelph-Humber grads
