Eating disorders are much more prevalent in our society than many people believe. While exact numbers on eating disorders are difficult to get (due to self-reporting and the stigma attached to them) it is believed up to 35% of all people with eating disorders could be male. This is a stark difference from eating disorders being a “feminine” disease. While women may be at a higher risk of developing an eating disorder there are still many factors to be considered. Neurologically estrogen appears to play a massive role in the development of an eating disorder. This could be from a smaller amount of testosterone (a sex hormone that appears to help inoculate against eating disorders) in the womb and higher levels of estradiol (an estrogen) during puberty and later in life. Bulimia nervosa, typically just called bulimia, is an eating disorder where the afflicted binge eats and later on purges (though some means) the excess calories consumed (the “typical” method of purging is inducing vomiting). Due to the purging nature of the disorder it can be incredibly difficult to detect a friend or loved one with the disease.
While the exact role in estrogen in eating disorders (and bulimia specifically) is not fully understood there is a clear correlation between estrogen and eating disorders. Does this mean that eating disorders are beyond our control save through regimented hormone treatments? No. Just like some of the diseases that we have talked about over the past several months the disease is a combination of neurochemistry (something beyond a person’s control) and their thought processes (something within their control). Eating disorders are not something to be taken lightly, and altering the established neuro-connections can be difficult, but time, therapy and maybe (MAYBE) drugs can bring one close to a facsimile of normal. Since an eating disorder like bulimia is a combination of something going wrong with the estrogen cycle and a feeling of guilt or lack of control there are things you can do. Being okay with oneself is crucial! Regardless of how you look you are beautiful.
Societal pressures have been seen to have a correlation to eating disorders not only in women, but in men too. Unfortunately, there’s no easy fix for societal pressures, since they are beyond just one or even a group of peoples’ influence, but understanding that body image is not as important as people claim, is crucial. Ultimately curing eating disorders doesn’t come down to treating it with chemicals that reduce estradiol or increase testosterone in utero, but instead teaching everybody to be comfortable with themselves and to be okay with whatever type of body they happen to have.
Bulimia Nervosa: the hidden eating disorder
