Differences in the Presentation of Anorexia Nervosa between Males and Females

Anorexia nervosa (AN) is a serious psychiatric illness with an estimated lifetime prevalence of 0.3% in males and 0.9% in females. AN has the highest mortality rate of any psychiatric disorder—10-12 times greater than the general population, and approximately 20% of those with AN commit suicide. Unfortunately, most studies related to AN and other eating disorders (ED’s) have focused on females, leaving a relative scarcity of literature related to the presentation of AN among males. A complete understanding of AN’s signs and symptoms in both males and females is required for reliable detection in all individuals, as diagnostic bias favoring typical presentations of AN among females may contribute to under-detection, late detection, or improper treatment for males with AN. This review summarizes the state of the literature on differences in the presentation of AN between males and females in order to improve detection of AN in all individuals as well as guide future research investigating the efficacy and appropriateness of treatment methods in both females and males.Master of Public Healt