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

I definitely agree with this claim. In the article "Eating Disorders in Men and Boys", it tells readers about the way men tend to want to look. It states that instead of 1 in 5 boys, 1 in 3 people with eating disorders are male. This makes complete sense because men and boys are typically the ones who take steroids in order to be more built and fit to the standard that society puts on men. Transgender and gay men also tend to have the most issues with their body images due to rejection that they face from their peers/parents in some cases from the beginning. The feeling of not feeling good enough can affect anyone of any gender, not only women. It can be seen as more feminine to have issues about the way that you look but it does not mean that men don't feel the same way. It may just be harder to acknowledge for men, even though it is more common than thought out to be.

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

Answer 2

I think this is a very interesting claim that you have made, and I believe it to be true. While you claim that 1 in every 5 boys "may" have an eating disorder, and it is not definite that they do, that is still a strong claim and is true. You cited a credible source, People Magazine, and the article is by Cara Shultz, who is an author/writer/reporter. People is a very popular news source, and Cara is a known writer/reporter who works for them, so there is no doubt that the research was well done. The article also cites other sources along the way, quoting them and linking their websites which helps the reader to gain more insight and gains the page more credibility. Overall, I believe this claim to be true.

Answer 3

This claim addresses an issue that is often not talked about in society today.

In an article by the National Eating Disorders Association or the NEDA they write about how in the US, eating disorders affect 6.6 million males during the course of their life. Because of cultural and gender bias, males are significantly less likely to be checked out for an eating disorder, and even less likely to look for treatment. 

Another article written by the American Psychological Association talks about the lack of recognition of eating disorders in males. It talks about how many men show signs of eating disorders, but these most of the time go unnoticed because of the gender stereotypes, and societal norms. Both of these articles talk about the lack of representation, and want to bring more awareness.

 

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

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

Answer 4

Claim: 1 in 5 boys have an eating disorder

The claim that 1 in 5 boys has an eating disorder was posted in an article by People's Magazine under the title, "1 in 5 boys May Have an Eating Disorder, Face 'Unique Barriers to Seeking Help'. Peoples Magazine is a weekly magazine here in America, focused on reporting celebrity news and interesting stories. This claim may have originated from a study done by researchers at the University of Toronto and published the journal Eating Behaviors. This study found that roughly 21% of the male participants met the criteria for having an eating disorder, the most common being bulimia. 

Related articles: 

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1471015325000406?via%3Dihub#ab0005

https://people.com/health/eating-disorders-surge-in-boys-and-young-men-what-parents-need-to-know/

https://www.news-medical.net/news/20250421/One-in-five-boys-and-men-may-have-an-eating-disorder.aspx

https://www.cnn.com/2023/02/20/health/disordered-eating-kids-wellness

https://www.diabetes.co.uk/news/2025/may/one-in-five-males-could-have-an-eating-disorder.html

Answer 5

I agree with the claim, "1 in 5 boys has an eating disorder." Both of the sources you provided are credible. The first source from the website, people, referenced the lead author, Dr. Kyle T. Ganson, who is knowledgeable and qualified on the topic. It also mentioned that a study was conducted to conclude the claim. It mentioned that it was an online study that involved 1,500 males between the ages of 15 to 35 years old in Canada and the United States. The results of the study found that the claim is true.

Then the other source provided is the actual peer-reviewed journal of the study, which included Dr, Kyle T. Ganson as one of the authors. The study and results supported what was found on the people's website. Therefore, both a credible sources.

Sources:

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

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1471015325000406?via%3Dihub#ab0005

Answer 6

There’s definitely some truth to this, but the exact numbers might be a bit off. Because there hasn’t been much research focused on men with eating disorders—and because there’s still a stigma that eating disorders are mainly a “women’s problem”—the numbers we have could be lower than the reality. According to ANAD, women are up to five times more likely to be diagnosed and 1.5 times more likely to get treatment than men. But they also say that about 25% of people with eating disorders are men, which makes me think the original statement is probably true, even if it’s a bit underestimated.

https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC7867380/#S5

https://anad.org/eating-disorder-statistic/#male

True

Answer 7

https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC7867380/#S5

https://anad.org/eating-disorder-statistic/#male

Answer 8

I would agree with this! Your study surveyed boys and men in the U.S. and Canada and found that eating disorders were common particularly among gay/bisexual males and those with higher BMIs which I found interesting. The article also talks about the lack of attention eating disorders in boys have historically received. I found a CNN article that backs this up! Therefore, I would say your post is accurate and credible!

Eating disorders in men and boys: They often go unrecognized | CNN 

Answer 9

From what I can find, the claim in the People article that 1 in 5 boys may have an eating disorder is backed by a peer-reviewed study published in Eating Behaviors in January 2024. This study surveyed 1,553 boys and men aged 15 to 35 from the U.S. and Canada and found that approximately 21.3% met diagnostic criteria for some form of eating disorder, with bulimia nervosa being the most common at 5.8%.