WHEN Dennis Quaid took on the role of a man dying of tuberculosis in the film Wyatt Earp, he lost over 40 pounds in the space of a few months.

But even though his emaciated frame was created for the film, the self-starvation he endured stayed with him.

Since then, the 54-year-old actor has talked about his battle in the mid-1990s with what’s been dubbed by the press as “manorexia”.

John Prescott and Billy Bob Thornton have also spoken openly about their eating disorders and there have been reports about Russell Brand, Elton John and Paul Gascoigne bingeing and purging on food too.

Ronnie Murray, a local eating disorders practitioner, says approximately 10 per cent of people with eating disorders are male.

“Males are reluctant to acknowledge they have an eating disorder and more reluctant to ask for help or go to support groups,” Ronnie explains.

“There is the added embarrassment of their condition being at odds with what being a man in our society is meant to be, which is why we need more awareness campaigns for male eating disorders.”

Local businessman Darren Northeast, 39, from Poole, said he was surprised the figure wasn’t much higher.

“The media bombards us with images of picture perfect men and we feel we have to measure up to them in the same way that young girls want to look like Kate Moss,” he says.

“It was only a matter of time before it was going to affect guys in the same way.”

Darren says he has worried about his body image for as long as he can remember.

“Although I haven’t got anorexia or bulimia, you could say that I have an eating disorder as I’m always either starving myself or eating anything I can get my hands on.

“Body image is a big topic and men do talk about it more these days.

“Even men with good physiques worry about whether they can maintain it.”

Ronnie Murray also does prevention work in local secondary schools with young people who are showing signs of developing an unhealthy relationship with food or their bodies.

“These conditions are often triggered by teasing for being overweight but there will also be other underlying contributory factors such as perfectionist standards, low self-esteem and pre-disposing factors as well as pressures on males to try to look their best.

“It’s no surprise then to hear that of the 10 per cent of males with an eating disorder, 20 per cent will be gay in search of the body beautiful.”

But Ronnie explains that males do not necessarily want to be thin or lose weight. Instead they will become preoccupied with their leanness, fitness, shape and muscles.

“This can create distorted body image and extreme control over eating. Males within the world of sport and fashion can be especially at risk with reports of jockeys applying dangerous methods to reach racing weight.”

There’s certainly more pressure on men to look good with the rise of the “metrosexual male” and the growing demand for male cosmetic products.

There is also a condition known as Bigorexia, a reverse form of anorexia, where a bodybuilder has an intense dissatisfaction for a particular part of his body and will under-estimate its size.

They often abuse bulking up products and develop obsessive-compulsive exercising behaviour.

But Ronnie adds that getting the right treatment can be a real challenge for anyone with an eating disorder.

“It is said that 90 per cent of sufferers cope on their own.”

Beat, the Eating Disorders Association, has a men’s online discussion forum and male support workers visit website b-eat.co.uk Ronnie Murray would like to hear from any males who would be interested in attending a support group for those who have obsessive-compulsive relationship with food.

Contact her for further information on 01202 777665 or visit her website ronniemurray.biz.