1 in 5 Boys have an Eating Disorder

Question

This article claims that 1 in 5 boys may have an eating disorder, which was determined through a study of American and Canadian boys and men. The article calls attention to the scientific lack of interest in eating disorders for boys and says that bulimia nervosa is one of the most likely disorders among the boys. They also claim that gay and bisexual men, along with those with greater BMIs are more likely to have eating disorders. Based on the study the article references, this article's claim is true. NEDA also contends that boys struggle with eating disorders and struggle even more with expressing their concerns due to the feminine language and perceptions surrounding the issue.

Answer 1

Men's mental health has been an emerging issue in recent years, so it is important to stop to understand what is being said. Where this claim comes from, People Magazine, is not a medical or scholarly source but is instead purely for entertainment- but that doesn't mean the claim is inaccurate. They got the original claim from a ScienceDirect article, which is a scientific research website. In ScienceDirect's article, however, the men in the study group were between the ages of 15 and 35, not specifically "boys". The NEDA also backs this claim up, with the statistic that 6.6 million men in America will experience an eating disorder at some point in their lives, JAMA stating that 1 in 7 males would have an eating disorder. The claim that "1 in 5 boys have an eating disorder" likely comes from medical articles like these, because they are mostly estimates based on studies that are broad, not specific to kids. A 2020 NIH article states that in a study of adolescent boys, 12.8% of them met the criteria for having an eating disorder, which would be more around 1 in 8. In conclusion, it is extremely difficult to determine the exact number of boys with eating disorders, but the original claim of 1 in 5 boys having them has some truth and medical evidence to it.

Sources:

https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamanetworkopen/fullarticle/2752577

https://www.nationaleatingdisorders.org/eating-disorders-in-men-and-boys/

https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC7867380/

Comments

This is a thoughtful breakdown that rightly points out the difference between media headlines and the actual data. Clarifying the age range and highlighting that estimates can vary depending on the study strengthens the analysis. Great use of credible sources to provide context to the claim.

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I appreciate this fact-check! Diction is so important when it comes to verifying claims--even slightly misused or misleading words can completely change something's meaning--so I love the time you devoted to define the difference between "boys," and, say, males between the ages of 15 and 35. I also appreciate the time you took to find other ratios offered by scholarly sources on the web to compare their findings to the original claim. However, I would be interested in looking into the original study to which People Magazine refers, mainly because it is also peer-reviewed and offers the statistic that "21.3% of boys and men meet criteria for any probable eating disorder diagnosis" in the "Highlights" section. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1471015325000406?via%3Dihub#ab0005
Still, I haven't done any deep reading on the subject like you have, and the truth remains that the exact ratio of boys having diagnosable eating disorders is likely disputed amongst the medical community anyway.

Answer 2

This is a great post that highlights an issue we don't talk about enough. The point about stigma and the feminine framing of these disorders is spot on. That said, the "1 in 5" stat feels a little questionable without knowing how the study defined an eating disorder. Also, the link to higher BMI is probably more complex than it seems. Still, a really important topic to bring attention to though.

Comments

I think that this fact-check does a good job at highlighting some of the important issues made in the claim, especially relating to the stigma boys and men with eating disorders face. It would be helpful to expand on why raising the issue of stigma is so relevant and how it causes such issues with treatment. For example, quoting a source such as (Halbeisen et al., 2024) who identify the "double stigmatization—the shame of the disorder on the one hand and the conflict with masculine identity of the other." Referencing this article would evidence why this point is so important, especially in relation to treatment. I also think that it is unfair to label the claim misleading and question the "1 in 5" statistic without reviewing the study first. The paper is linked in the claim, making the methodology available to evaluate. It is more scientific to base opinions on evidence rather than assumptions.

https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC11002438/

Answer 3

This claim is supported by a 2024 study published in The Journal of Adolescent Health, which found that approximately 20% of boys and men in the U.S. and Canada met the threshold for a possible eating disorder. According to News Medical, researchers surveyed over 5,000 individuals, identifying bulimia nervosa as one of the most common eating disorders among boys. Other risk factors include identifying as gay or bisexual and having a higher BMI.

The PBS NewsHour segment further confirms this trend, stating that eating disorders among adolescent boys are increasing but are often missed due to cultural stigma and underrepresentation in research. The National Eating Disorders Association (NEDA) agrees that boys are frequently overlooked and often feel alienated by how eating disorders are discussed, which typically focuses on women.

ScienceDirect Study

News Medical

PBS NewsHour

Answer 4

The claim that "1 in 5 boys may have an eating disorder" appears to be an overstatement based on current research evidence.

According to the National Eating Disorders Association (NEDA), approximately one-third of people with eating disorders are male, with about 10 million males in the United States experiencing an eating disorder in their lifetime. More specifically, research in a national sample of adolescents and young adult males in the United States found that about 5.5% demonstrated elevated eating disorder risk.

NEDA statistics indicate that the overall lifetime prevalence of eating disorders is estimated to be 4.07% among males, which is significantly lower than the 20% (1 in 5) figure claimed in the article. However, when looking at disordered eating behaviors (which may not meet full diagnostic criteria for eating disorders), some studies have found much higher percentages, with one study reporting these behaviors in 33-43% of boys across different ethnic groups.

In conclusion, the specific "1 in 5" claim appears to be incorrect if referring to clinically diagnosed eating disorders, but may be closer to reality if referring to broader disordered eating behaviors or attitudes. The article's emphasis on the underrecognition of eating disorders in males is supported by research.

Sources:

1. National Eating Disorders Association (NEDA) - https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/eating-disorders-in-men
2. Lipson and Sonneville study cited in PMC research - https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC6091251/
3. NEDA Statistics - https://www.nationaleatingdisorders.org/statistics/
4. Study on disordered eating behaviors among boys of different ethnicities - https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC7867380/

Comments

The use of percentages and real evidence make your argument very strong and proves that the original can seem misleading/exaggerated. The multiple sources provided also give clear explanation to what you are trying to say.

Answer 5

This claim appears to be true through the provided article, with the explanation of the claim detailing that 1 in 5 boys may have an eating disorder, in large part due to both the lack of research surrounding the topic and the inherent stigma that is dramatized especially for boys. While these facts are true, the claim that "1 in 5 boys have an eating disorder" is misleading. The article states that a study of 1500 males in the US and Canada was conducted online, which is a relatively small sample pool and narrow range of locations. The study being conducted online well does not improve credibility; nor does the source. People.com is said to lean left on the political perspective, making it a non-neutral source. However, it is true that boys have typically been left out of the studies conducted and research on eating disorders, according to the American Psychological Association. This claim is certainly plausible and very well could be true, however the evidence to back it up is likely not sufficient and could benefit from more research.

https://people.com/1-in-5-boys-may-have-an-eating-disorder-11719864

https://mediabiasfactcheck.com/people-magazine/

apa.org/monitor/2024/10/eating-disorders-boys-men

Answer 6

This claim is accurate. The NEDA claims that 6.6 million men in the United States alone will experience some form of an eating disorder within their lifetime. The exact number of men that can be statistically proven for having an eating disorder varies because men are less likely to seek treatment or get diagnosed. Studies do show that once evaluated, most men do struggle with body image and have at some point taken extreme measures like binge-eating and bulimia to accomplish their goals. A statistic that is notable to consider would be the mortality rate by eating disorders in men increasing throughout the years. The National Library of Medicine shares important information how male mortality due to eating disorders has become more severe than in women. Both men and women showed similar mortality rates, but men have showed to have shorter survival time than in women when enduring an eating disorder. With all of the information given, it is important to conclude that the male eating disorder discussion is as severe as the claim above presents it to be.