Dr Scott Griffiths is one of Australia’s top researchers in body image and eating disorders and a National Health and Medical Research Council Fellow at the University of Melbourne. He’s currently involved in an ongoing study into the male experience of eating disorders.
In this In Depth episode, he challenges the myth that men are not impacted by either body image issues or eating disorders. While people usually think that only young, privileged, white women experience eating disorders, the truth is that 30% identify as male. Dr Griffiths thinks this percentage may be much higher because men are reluctant to speak up or seek help. Still, there are intense social pressures on men to look a certain way, and this puts them at risk.
“If we assume that the eating disorders we see and know about are all that are out there, then men are a minority of diagnoses”, he says. “But it wouldn’t surprise me if there are many more men affected. We just don't see them because we don’t know how to find them.”
Find out how Dr Griffiths managed to reach men for his research work, and what Butterfly is also doing to provide education, information, and much-needed support.
Find out more about Dr Scott Griffiths.
To find more resources for men check out Butterfly's males, eating disorders and body image page or RESET, a conversation about boys' body image.

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