Healthcare professionals are often trained to detect eating disorders such as anorexia and bulimia, they admit it can be much harder to tell when a male fitness regime tips over into an obsession.
So while considerable attention is focused on helping women overcome the eating and exercise disorders that often result from such insecurities, scant consideration is being paid to the effects felt by the men currently battling similar issues.
“Most body image experts agree that some men with body image problems or eating disorders don't get help due to the shame and self-imposed silence that goes with experiencing a women's illness,” said Eating Disorders Victoria's communications and media officer, Megan O'Connor.