Eating Disorders in Males: An 8-Year Population-Based Observational Study

Area of Science:

• Psychiatry
• Public Health
• Epidemiology

Background:

• Eating disorders (ED) are often perceived as predominantly affecting women, leading to underdiagnosis and inadequate research in male populations.
• Understanding the prevalence and trends of EDs in men is crucial for developing targeted prevention and treatment strategies.
• The National Health Fund (NFZ) database offers a valuable resource for estimating the real-world prevalence of treated EDs.

Purpose of the Study:

• To realistically evaluate the prevalence of specific eating disorders (AN, atypical AN, BN, atypical BN) among Polish men seeking treatment.
• To analyze trends and demographic characteristics of male ED patients between 2010 and 2017.
• To calculate the relative risk of EDs in young males and discuss implications for clinical practice.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective analysis of the NFZ database for patients diagnosed with EDs (ICD-10 codes F50.0-F50.3) from 2010-2017.
• Estimation of annual prevalence and categorization of patients into nine age groups.
• Calculation of relative risk (RR) with 95% confidence intervals (95% CI) for ED incidence in males.

Main Results:

• Anorexia nervosa (AN) affected approximately 100 men annually, primarily young males (11-30 years), with a stable frequency trend.
• Atypical anorexia nervosa affected around 40 men yearly, and bulimia nervosa (BN) affected about 35 men annually.
• The overall incidence of EDs in males was relatively constant, with a 2017 RR for young males of 0.041 (95% CI [0.033, 0.051]).

Conclusions:

• The study highlights a consistent, albeit potentially underestimated, prevalence of EDs in Polish men seeking treatment.
• Current conceptualizations and clinical guidelines for EDs may require modification to better address the specificities of male pathology.
• Further research and development of tailored clinical guidelines are essential for improving care for males with eating disorders.