On Boys and Eating Disorders with Dr. Jason Nagata

When it comes to body image and the media, the focus has long been on girls and thinness. Yet a recent study found that hospitalizations for boys with eating disorders has risen by 400% in the last two decades. Our guest today, Dr. Jason Nagata of University of California San Francisco, dives into the hidden impacts of eating disorders across all genders, cultures, and identities. Most importantly, he shares what to do about it.

Erin talks to Dr. Jason Nagata about:

• Ways to distinguish between “health promoting” activities and signs of struggle.
• Why we shouldn’t ignore the body image and mental health struggles of boys, trans, and non-binary youth.
• Red flag social media content and habits we might miss if we only focus on girls and thinness.
• Prevention strategies at home.
• What should we do if we are concerned about a young person in our lives?

Resources Mentioned in this Episode:

• More Adolescent Boys Have Eating Disorders – Two Experts Discuss Why, New York Times
• Signs to Look for as More Eating Disorders Affect Boys, PBS
• Eating Disorders in Boys and Men, edited by Dr. Jason Nagata
• Nagata Lab Infographics
• National Eating Disorders Association
• NEDA Toolkit for Parents
• Worried That Someone In Your Life Has an Eating Disorder? The Emily Program

Dr. Jason Nagata

Jason Nagata, MD, MSc, is an Associate Professor of Pediatrics at the University of California, San Francisco specializing in adolescent and young adult eating disorders. He researches eating disorders, muscle-enhancing behaviors, and social media in boys and men. He edited the book Eating Disorders in Boys and Men and is Senior Editor of the Journal of Eating Disorders. He has published over 300 articles in academic journals and his research has been covered by The New York Times, CNN, NPR, and NBC News. He is the recipient of the American Academy of Pediatrics Emerging Leader in Adolescent Health Award and the International Association for Adolescent Health Young Professionals Prize.

X/Twitter: @jasonmnagata