Men's Eating Disorders
Tiziana Bordoni1, Florinda Pozzi1, Maura Acquistapace1, Sara De Lucchi1, Tiziana Meglioli1; 1CENTRO DISTURBI ALIMENTARI - ASST-VALTELLINA E ALTO LARIO
Introduction and aimes: The clinical literature underlines an increase in the region of 10% of nutrition-related problems in males. Eating disorders differ between males and females to risk factors, comorbid conditions, clinical evidence. In this work, we set out to compare our series with the findings available on this issue. Methods: The sample consists of five clinical cases of male aged (15-20 years) with the following diagnoses (DSM V) Anorexia Nervosa, Avoidant / Restrictive disorder of food intake with orthorexia, Disorder Avoidant / Restrictive assumption of food with Vigorexia, Being eating disorder, Bulimia. The cases were analyzed using structured clinical interviews, assessment tests (EDI-3 MILLON, MMPI / A) and dietary assessment. Results: The literature summerizes the main risk factors in the onset of male eating disorders as follows: cultural pressure and past experiences of derision, biological parameters such as height, overweight and puberty, somatic symptoms, ossebsive-compulsive disorder and anxiety, depression and lower levels of self-esteem, traumatic events, like in all our cases. High comorbidity with obsessive and anxious aspects, can have serious implications in the course and in the outcome of eating disorders, as it promotes a switch from food restriction to dyscontrol characterized by compulsive overeating, like in our sample. In males, the body dissatisfaction could translate more easily in an intense sports activity, as evidenced in some of our cases. Conclusion: The complexity of these patients suggests the need for an integrated treatment that acts both on psychopathological symptoms and malnutrition, suitably modified to fit to males.
Topic Area: Diagnosis and Phenomenology