Somerset and Wessex Eating Disorders Association (SWEDA) is highlighting Eating Disorders Awareness Week.

A new survey has revealed that almost a third of men in Somerset have admitted that they worry most of the time about how they look, with 32% saying that they worry too much about food, weight, body shape and fitness.  

The research, carried out by Somerset and Wessex Eating Disorders Association (SWEDA), asked 207 men aged 16 and older about their attitudes towards food, weight and body image in the run up to Eating Disorders Awareness Week (27th February - 5th March), amid growing concerns about the increasing numbers of men seeking help for eating disorders. 

Nerissa Shaw, clinical lead at SWEDA said: "We know that body image issues and eating problems are on the rise in men and boys."

"Whilst it is important not to conflate eating disorders with body dysmorphia, an eating disorder can begin with an over-concern with weight and body shape and the desire to influence this using control of food intake in some way."

"If a person has concerns about their weight or how they look or, it does not mean they have, or even will develop, an eating disorder, but for some people these concerns can be early indicators of eating disorders, so it’s vital that we talk about it."

More boys and men are coming to SWEDA for help, but there are many more struggling who either aren't aware that support is available, or don’t feel able to reach out for help.

Supported by National Lottery Fund she added :"Thanks to National Lottery funding, we have been able to provide embedded therapeutic support workers at FE colleges across the county, but there is still a lot to do.” 

Eating disorders can present differently in men and sometimes concerns in young men and boys are not picked up because they do not always look the same as those for women. 

"Highlighting the increasing numbers of boys and men with eating disorders is a positive step in the right direction, but we need much more research to ensure that we are working effectively with men and boys to give them the right support at the right time."

The research also identified almost a quarter of 16-18 year olds who said that they follow diet and fitness influencers on social media who influence their thoughts about diet and body shape.

Whilst this can be positive, support workers are concerned about the negative impacts of social media on boys and younger men who look to the various platforms for guidance. 

Nerissa Shaw, shares her concerns: “We have a problem in society around the way that we value appearance and how a certain, very narrow, range of bodies are considered ‘ideal’.

"Some people, who feel that they are not acceptable unless they are a certain size and shape, may go to dangerous extremes to try and achieve this, but for most people, it’s physiologically impossible, and it can be harmful to try to achieve such an appearance, something which more people need to understand.”    

25% of those with an eating disorder are thought to identify as male, and although this estimate has risen in recent years, it is unknown whether this figure reflects a rise in increasing numbers of men and boys developing eating disorders, or whether it simply means more are recognising the problem and seeking help. 

SWEDA works with people affected by eating disorders, including those who support someone with an eating disorder, by offering hope and enabling access to support services that empower recovery.