A multi-faceted research study and article on male eating disorders, general societal trends leading up to it and the repercussions of such in 2010.

1. Martin CJ Mongiello, MBA, CPFM, CHM, Certified Executive Chef, Master Certified Food Executive
Nutrition SCI 103 & CUL 222, The Art Institute of Charlotte, NC - Instructor Nicole Dowsett, MSPH
EATING DISORDERS - NOT JUST FOR WOMEN. New studies show men are
also prone to risky food habits just like ladies. Does the media (television, movies,
magazines, etc…) play a role in these behaviors?
Recent studies that have shown males only accounted for 10% of the American population in trouble with eating
disorders. Young, confused teens and young women were mostly targeted as having eating disorder problems.
New studies are now showing that 25% of men struggle with anorexia and bulimia while 40% are binge eaters.
This is a topic of interest to many doctors and parents because bulimia and anorexia can be fatal.
Binge eating is not officially recognized as a psychiatric disorder and is also not considered to be life threatening.
However, its prevalence among men has surprised many experts. Men are coming under increasing fire to
develop, “six-pack”, abs. Of course men also have control issues when it comes to food but typically do not want
to admit they would have a problem that previously has been only associated with women. This is especially true
when you consider the fact that its young girls and young women – and no real man wants to be associated with
acting like a. “little girl.”
Dennis Quaid first coined the term, “manorexia”, while Billy Bob Thornton battled anorexia. Additionally, having
been in the military for 21 years myself I was readily familiar with the number of people that were constantly on
crazy diets - living in a world of fear that they would lose their retired retainer – or be thrown out. Especially
when it came time for promotions, if you did not fit the bill of the perfect sailor or officer (trim and slim) your
evaluation and climb up the ladder - was toast.
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2. Martin CJ Mongiello, MBA, CPFM, CHM, Certified Executive Chef, Master Certified Food Executive
Nutrition SCI 103 & CUL 222, The Art Institute of Charlotte, NC - Instructor Nicole Dowsett, MSPH
Males with eating disorders need to be taken seriously – just as serious as the ever-emerging male breast cancer
problems. It’s the same old story when it comes to being a control freak and master of your home, power, and job
– you are master of nothing, other than a hidden mess that is ripping you apart inside.
In my opinion, television, movies and magazines continue to play a large role in influencing people. How good
are you if you look this way and how crappy are you – if you don’t!? Are you a huge fat slob? Or do you rival
soccer superstar, David Beckham. Women just love to scintillate their pulsating fingers across his taught cage…
The imagery bombarded on humans is relentless – much like the jury became much desensitized during the O.J.
Simpson trial. The technique there was that if they showed enough blood and gore pictures – we would get used to
them and not be so shocked anymore. Eventually this did desensitize the jury and they could hardly tell any
longer. The same technique is utilized by bombarding the public with, “you’re no good if you don’t have a
washboard stomach”, or, “your legs were airbrushed onto the front of a magazine!” You need to have a flat
tummy to become someone, or your hair needs to be fixed by a hair stylist each morning that you pay $185.00
daily. Until you achieve these things you will continue to be viewed as the vagrant that you are – a real nobody in
society! Ladies are especially prone to this type of bombardment and continue to spur the multibillion-dollar
fashion industry. It simply gets taken a step further, in that, without these Gucci sunglasses, Prada shoes and
$850.00 pocketbook – I could never get married, or even be settled in society and accepted.
Constant shows and movies along with articles written and published concentric to sex, sexual activity, sexual
prowess and repeated endorsement of sex outside of marriage are the primary core of the problem. In the 1970’s
and 1980’s (when the sexual revolution began), women began to sew their wild oats. It is true that in the nineteen
fifties a woman had to apply for a credit card under her husband’s name. It is true that women have never been
given a rightful place in society in government or in business. For these reasons much like a child, when first
given candy, many women in the world took advantage of the sexual revolution - and took it to the extreme. We
like to call this, “sewing your wild oats.” And for me, it is completely understandable how the evolution of this
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3. Martin CJ Mongiello, MBA, CPFM, CHM, Certified Executive Chef, Master Certified Food Executive
Nutrition SCI 103 & CUL 222, The Art Institute of Charlotte, NC - Instructor Nicole Dowsett, MSPH
problem came about. Regrettably, men in the world (have a biological, natural sexual thought every 30 seconds)
took the ladies situation to an all new high of extremism. The man on earth had previously practiced getting rid of
their wives anytime they felt like it. In the 1980’s men began to perfect this methodology and transitioned it into
the workplace. Again the primary core of unlimited sex and ripped, wide-open, hot sex (while looking terrific with
your body) was the driving force behind the program. Additionally, males now with their female partners in
league with them started to sell out, buyout and throw out company work forces, pensions, reliability and
retirement checks. This new animalistic behavior took hold - primarily in the United States – the very core of
capitalism and business in the world.
The one good thing about the 1950’s and before, was that society as a whole did not allow this type of behavior –
this came from the strong support of honorable women. Today, on TV, you have wonderful shows like Cougar
Town, Unhappy in the City (Sex in the City) and other wonderful examples. There it is fun for a married woman
to have a striptease with the 18-year old male babysitter and have no responsibilities to her children, implications
for her marriage and certainly not known in her church – she does not even go to church. Correction, she does go
to a church, a HUGE church… to have a fancy wedding. Only. What you get with Hollywood and constant sex
conducted in offices, boardrooms, and hotel rooms is a complete, economic system crash and economic holocaust.
But of course, everyone will tell you that could never happen…
Everybody wants to rewrite the rules and throw out our founding fathers honorable principles. People like Martha
Washington and Abigail Adams are funny to laugh at – they find the violation of all of our basic principles to be
something to laugh at. “This is 2008 we’ll rewrite the rules and never experience a depression or jobless rate
again.” Now, in 2010 the sex and fake pursuit of the perfect body has brought the world to the precipice of
destruction – and everyone is sitting around wondering why. Is it now the time to push it even further? Greece,
that great metropolis of culture, writing, and sculpture of the world has fallen. Spain could be next and is
teetering… When it comes to creating a new world order or changing all of the rules, think about the
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4. Martin CJ Mongiello, MBA, CPFM, CHM, Certified Executive Chef, Master Certified Food Executive
Nutrition SCI 103 & CUL 222, The Art Institute of Charlotte, NC - Instructor Nicole Dowsett, MSPH
repercussions. When it comes to admitting why we act the way we do or admitting perhaps it is not really working
out well, remember, admittance is the first step to recovery. When it comes to admitting that 25% of men struggle
with anorexia and bulimia while 40% are binge eaters, men, let’s wake up. Ladies, please help us.
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