Eating disorders among an online sample of Canadian and American boys and men

Abstract

There is a continued need to identify the prevalence and sociodemographic correlates of eating disorders, particularly among the under-researched group of boys and men, to inform prevention and intervention efforts. Data from The Study of Boys and Men, a sample of 1553 boys and men aged between 15 and 35 years in Canada and the United States, were analyzed in 2024. Probable eating disorder diagnoses were identified using a previously established algorithm based on current diagnostic criteria. A multivariable logistic regression analysis was used to determine the sociodemographic correlates of meeting the criteria for any probable eating disorder diagnosis. The prevalence of meeting the criteria for any probable eating disorder diagnosis was 21.3 % (95 % confidence interval [CI] 18.7–24.1), while meeting criteria for a probable bulimia nervosa diagnosis had the highest prevalence (5.8 %, 95 % CI 4.6–7.1) and anorexia nervosa had the lowest prevalence (0.34 %, 95 % CI 0.1–0.8). Boys and men who identified as gay (adjusted odds ratio [AOR] 2.28, 95 % CI 1.35–3.85) or bisexual (AOR 2.22, 95 % CI 1.23–3.99) had higher odds of meeting criteria for any probable eating disorder diagnosis, compared to those who did not. Finally, boys and men who had a higher body mass index (BMI) (AOR 1.18, 95 % CI 1.14–1.23) had greater odds of meeting criteria for any probable eating disorder diagnosis. Findings add to the growing understanding of eating disorders among boys and men. Targeted and tailored prevention and intervention programming is needed for sexual minority boys and men, and those with higher BMIs.