How to Recognize the Signs of Anorexia in Boys

Many people associate anorexia, an eating disorder in which the patient believes he should not eat, with teenage girls and forget that people of all ages and walks of life can suffer from this emotional psychological disorder. Boys are not immune to the social pressure to be thin and fit. Boys can also develop anorexia while trying to maintain a low weight for a sport such as wrestling. If you are concerned that a boy you know may be anorexic, look for signs of anorexia.

Instructions

• 1

  Failure to gain weight (if during childhood or adolescence when growth is developmentally healthy) or lost weight are often the first signs of anorexia.

• 2

  Observe eating habits. Signs of anorexia include eating nothing or very little at meals, playing with food, cutting food up into small pieces or scattering it on the plate to create the illusion it was eaten. Try to see if rituals in his eating habits are developing, which is common with anorexia, or if he excludes certain types of food.

• 3

  Observe exercise habits. Anorexia is often associated with chronic exercising, especially in boys, because he feels he must burn off any calories consumed in food. Often, an anorexic's perception of reality is skewed, so he will work out for several hours a day even if he only consumed a couple hundred calories.

• 4

  Observe social behaviors. Those with anorexia often become depressed and stressed and are overly concerned with social status and may be easily offended. He will go through great lengths to hide his eating disorder and wear baggy clothes. Anorexics often develop habits and ritualistic behavior.

• 5

  Note changes in physical appearance. Check for signs of malnourishment. Those who do not consume enough calories or get proper nutrition have dark circles under their eyes, grow fuzzy hair all over their bodies. Nails and hair become brittle and unhealthy, skin becomes dry, and he may become unusually cold or tired.