Exploring muscularity concerns and behaviours among boys and men with probable eating disorders

Abstract

The muscular body ideal and muscularity concerns and behaviors have been posited to be major drivers of eating disorder psychopathology among boys and men. However, there is limited evidence of this, particularly among large, international samples. This study aimed to compare muscularity concerns and behaviors across probable eating disorder diagnoses among a non-clinical sample of boys and men from Canada and the United States. Data from the Study of Boys and Men (N = 937) were analyzed. One-way ANOVAs and post-hoc Tukey’s honestly significant difference tests were used to determine differences in mean scores on two commonly used measures of muscularity concerns and behaviors. Participants with probable anorexia nervosa/atypical anorexia nervosa and probable bulimia nervosa had significantly greater muscularity concerns and behaviors compared to those with neither condition. However, muscularity concerns and behaviors were similar across these two disorders. Participants with probable binge-eating disorder had significantly lower muscularity concerns and behaviors compared to those with probable anorexia nervosa/atypical anorexia nervosa and probable bulimia nervosa. Findings underscore the relevance of muscularity concerns and behaviors among boys and men with eating disorders, particularly anorexia nervosa/atypical anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa. Future iterations of the diagnostic criterion for these disorders should consider adding a focus on muscularity concerns and behaviors to account for the experiences of boys and men.