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Anorexia nervosa can be life threatening in males
Anorexia nervosa affects males as well as females, and affected males have a sixfold higher mortality rate than males in the general population. A new article published in CMAJ (Canadian Medical Association Journal) aims to raise awareness of this life-threatening eating disorder.
"Early identification and prompt treatment are essential," writes Dr. Basil Kadoura, a specialist in adolescent health, British Columbia Children's Hospital and University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, with coauthors.
Five things to know about anorexia nervosa in males:
1.Up to 0.3% of males will be diagnosed with anorexia nervosa. Stigma, poor mental health literacy and gendered stereotypes reduce help-seeking behaviours and lead to delayed treatment and worse outcomes.
2. Certain adolescent males are at higher risk. Athletes involved in body- and strength-focused sports like cycling, running, and wrestling, are a higher risk of developing the disorder, as are racially and ethnically diverse males and gay, bisexual, trans, and queer people.
3. Screening for muscle-enhancing goals and behaviours is important to assess for anorexia nervosa. Diet changes, vomiting, over-exercising, and supplement and anabolic steroid use are potential red flags. The Muscularity Oriented Eating Test is a tool used to assess for these eating behaviours.
4. Complications can be life threatening. These include vital sign instability, slower than normal heart rate, electrolyte abnormalities and other conditions. A detailed history, physical examination and bloodwork will help identify serious medical issues and guide treatment.
5. Family-based treatment is recommended for outpatients. In this guideline-recommended approach, parents are considered experts in their adolescent and lead in re-nourishing their child.
"Most adolescent males with anorexia nervosa can be treated as outpatients with family-based treatment and ongoing medical monitoring. However, some adolescents may require treatment in hospital," write the authors.
Reference:
Basil Kadoura, Kyle T. Ganson and Debra K. Katzman, Anorexia nervosa in adolescent males, CMAJ February 20, 2024 196 (6) E191; DOI: https://doi.org/10.1503/cmaj.230001.
Dr Kamal Kant Kohli-MBBS, DTCD- a chest specialist with more than 30 years of practice and a flair for writing clinical articles, Dr Kamal Kant Kohli joined Medical Dialogues as a Chief Editor of Medical News. Besides writing articles, as an editor, he proofreads and verifies all the medical content published on Medical Dialogues including those coming from journals, studies,medical conferences,guidelines etc. Email: drkohli@medicaldialogues.in. Contact no. 011-43720751