HUNGRY FOR APPROVAL –
Jan. 13, 2026 – After 23 years specializing in eating disorders, about one-fourth of my practice is men. Men who binge eat. Men who obsess about food. Men who feel completely out of control. But they don’t report it. Because they’ve been told it’s not supposed to happen to them.
The Silent Epidemic
Research suggests men make up 25-40% of people with eating disorders. But those numbers are likely underestimated because men are far less likely to seek help.
Why?
Stigma. Eating disorders are portrayed as “women’s issues.” Men who struggle feel like they’re failing at masculinity itself. Lack of awareness. Many men don’t realize what they’re experiencing is an eating disorder. They think, “I just have no willpower.”
Fear of judgment. Admitting to binge eating feels like admitting weakness.
Misdiagnosis. Healthcare providers often don’t screen men for eating disorders because they assume it’s not relevant.
