Expert urges DSM to list muscle dysmorphia as an eating disorder

In an interview, UCSF associate professor Jason Nagata highlighted that men represent roughly a third of U.S. eating-disorder patients, yet conditions like muscle dysmorphia remain under-diagnosed. The disorder is presently categorized under obsessive-compulsive and related disorders, requiring clinicians to exclude an eating-disorder diagnosis, which creates a diagnostic dead-end for many boys and men. Nagata proposes moving muscle dysmorphia into the eating-disorder section of the upcoming DSM-6, a shift he believes would streamline referrals, improve insurance coding, and encourage targeted research.

He acknowledges dissent within the field, with some experts insisting the current placement accurately reflects the condition’s features. Current treatment options are scarce, and patients often receive a generic “unspecified feeding and eating disorder” label, limiting specialized care. Nagata also calls for broader screening that includes questions about supplement use, performance-enhancing drugs, and compulsive exercise to catch cases earlier. Ultimately, he warns that without formal recognition, men with these concerns will continue to suffer in silence.