Men with bulimia nervosa

Since its introduction in the Diagnostic and Statistical manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-III) in 1979, bulimia nervosa has not only evoked scientific interest. The number of popular articles on this typical ''women's disease'' has reached an unexpected dimension over the last decade. Articles on eating disorders in men are rare and restricted to single case studies. Due to the increasing prevalence of bulimia in industrialized nations as well as changes in traditional stereotypes and genderspecific concepts of beauty, the number of men suffering from eating disorders is rising. This trend has considerable epidemiological implications for scientific research and clinical care. In this article, men with bulimia nervosa are examined under epidemiological, biological and psychological aspects. Data was collected from a university based out-patient clinic specialized in eating disorders and considered representative of West German industrial population.