Eating disorders among men; how to better catch and prevent them
Date of Award
Fall 12-14-2024
Document Type
Non Thesis
Degree Name
Master of Science in Coaching and Athletic Administration
Department
Kinesiology
First Advisor
Ryan Hubbard
Second Advisor
Denise Howard
Abstract
Women and men alike struggle with trying to fit in where they feel like they belong in society, usually meaning that both will try and mold themselves to fit into a frame that society believes to be worthy. A big issue seen over again for years is the increase in eating disorders among men and women and no matter the time frame or age, society has a major impact on what is considered acceptable to either look or weigh. Men are already hard-wired from a young age to push emotions down and not communicate them as effectively as women are encouraged, and sometimes required, to do so. This, in turn, leads to different coping mechanisms for stress and internal struggles that often result in body image issues and disordered eating as a form of control in one’s life. How are men and young boys different from women in this sense? Why is there more research available that caters to women than men when it comes to eating disorders? The answers to these questions needs accurate research that dives deeper into their complexities and how the solution can be obtained through proper methods, not just comparing results from past studies. Creating a questionnaire purposefully catering to boys ages 12-16 and young men 17-25 to prevent, catch, and support those who struggle with eating disorders is one step in a direction that does not allow stigmatization of this mental health struggle hold anyone back from receiving the support and help that they need to be happy and healthy.