According to a recent study of New York residents by Columbia University, gay men are much more likely to develop eating disorders than heterosexual men. The survey revealed that more than 15 percent of gay or bi guys questioned had suffered from anorexia, bulimia or binge-eating disorders at some time in their lives, whereas their straight counterparts sat around the 5 percent mark.

Another interesting result was that sexual orientation didn’t play a part when it came to the rate of eating disorders found among women. Straight, gay – it’s pretty much the same, with lesbians and bi women sitting at 10 percent, and straight girls at 8.

“It is not clear why gay men have high rates of eating disorders,” says Dr. Ilan H.Meyer, one of the researchers behind the findings. “One theory is that the values and norms in the gay men’s community promote a body-centered focus and high expectations about physical appearance, so that, similar to what has been theorised about heterosexual women, they may feel pressure to maintain an ideal body image.”

The researchers tested this theory, asking respondents questions to see if there was a correlation between participation in the gay scene and the rate of eating disorders. Interestingly enough, the theory didn’t hold water. Men who said they felt closely connected to the gay community and who participated in a range of gay and bisexual organisations did not have higher rates of eating disorders than men who didn’t.

“This suggests that factors other than values and norms in the gay community are related to the higher rates of eating disorder among these men.”

But what exactly these factors are is still up in the air. Food for thought in any case.