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THE number of young men in Scotland being treated for serious eating disorders has trebled in the past year - and experts warn they are just the tip of the iceberg.
The shock increase has been blamed on unrealistic images of ultra-toned models and athletes in magazines.
Clinicians and academics warn the drive to tackle obesity could be backfiring and making young men exercise too much.
Dr Alex Yellowlees, medical director and lead clinician for the eating disorders unit at the Priory Hospital, Glasgow, has revealed a 300 per cent increase in referrals in just 12 months.
He warned the problem among young men is at a similar level to that of women 15 years ago.
Dr Yellowlees said: "We are just seeing the tip of the iceberg as was the case in women in the 1990s.
Men are following suit.
"I think it is reasonable to predict an increase in the number of men being referred in Scotland.
There's a lot more out there." Dr Yellowlees said there were an increasing number of referrals of young men for anorexia nervosa and bulimia, mostly aged in the 20s but some as young as 16.
He said: "Young men are now adopting values and beliefs about body image that almost exclusively belonged to women. There is a blurring of gender roles in society.
"Young...