Lehe Martin S, Halbeisen Georg, Juergensen Vanessa C, Sabel Luisa, Steins-Loeber Sabine, Paslakis Georgios
Medical Faculty, University Clinic for Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, Ruhr-University Bochum, Campus East-Westphalia, Virchowstr. 65, 32312, Lübbecke, Germany.
Department of Clinical Psychology and Psychotherapy, Otto-Friedrich- University of Bamberg, Markusplatz 3, 96047, Bamberg, Germany.
J Eat Disord. 2025 Sep 17;13(1):204. doi: 10.1186/s40337-025-01407-7.
Eating disorders (EDs) affect individuals across all genders, but men remain underrepresented in ED treatment settings. Stigma related to EDs in men may impede help-seeking, particularly for symptoms that deviate from traditional masculine ideals. This study investigates whether stigma-related perceptions of EDs in men specifically moderate the association between disordered eating symptoms and help-seeking intentions in men, i.e., whether there is a gender-specific component of ED stigma.
In a cross-sectional survey, n = 242 men and n = 249 women completed questionnaires on various disordered eating symptoms ("traditional" thinness-oriented, muscularity-oriented, orthorexic, and avoidant/restrictive eating behaviors), stigma-related perceptions of EDs in men, and help-seeking intentions. Moderator analyses were conducted by gender to explore interactions between symptom severity and stigma in predicting help-seeking intentions.
Help-seeking intentions increased with the severity of disordered eating symptoms in both men and women, except for avoidant/restrictive eating behavior in both genders and muscularity-oriented symptoms in men. Stigma-related perceptions of EDs in men moderated the association between symptoms and help-seeking intentions in men, which was exclusively the case for "feminized" ED symptoms (i.e., thinness and weight concerns). No moderation effects were observed for other symptom domains or among women.
Results support the notion of a gender-specific role of stigma in men's help-seeking behaviors for EDs. Such stigma, which seems to be related to "feminized" ED symptoms, may contribute to men's reluctance to seek help for EDs. These findings emphasize the need for interventions tailored to reduce stigma, particularly regarding men's experiences of EDs, to support equal access to healthcare.
饮食失调影响所有性别的个体，但在饮食失调治疗环境中，男性的占比仍然较低。男性饮食失调相关的污名可能会阻碍他们寻求帮助，尤其是对于那些偏离传统男性理想形象的症状。本研究调查了男性对饮食失调的污名相关认知是否特别调节了男性饮食紊乱症状与寻求帮助意愿之间的关联，即饮食失调污名是否存在性别特异性成分。
在一项横断面调查中，n = 242名男性和n = 249名女性完成了关于各种饮食紊乱症状（“传统”的以瘦为导向、以肌肉发达为导向、正统饮食、回避/限制饮食行为）、男性饮食失调的污名相关认知以及寻求帮助意愿的问卷。按性别进行调节分析，以探讨症状严重程度与污名在预测寻求帮助意愿方面的相互作用。
除了男女的回避/限制饮食行为以及男性以肌肉发达为导向的症状外，男女的寻求帮助意愿均随着饮食紊乱症状的严重程度而增加。男性对饮食失调的污名相关认知调节了男性症状与寻求帮助意愿之间的关联，这种情况仅适用于“女性化”的饮食失调症状（即对瘦和体重的担忧）。在其他症状领域或女性中未观察到调节作用。
结果支持污名在男性饮食失调寻求帮助行为中具有性别特异性作用的观点。这种污名似乎与“女性化”的饮食失调症状有关，可能导致男性不愿寻求饮食失调方面的帮助。这些发现强调需要采取针对性的干预措施来减少污名，特别是关于男性饮食失调经历的污名，以支持平等获得医疗保健。
