It’s Not About The Food

1 in 3 diagnosed eating disorders are male yet only 10% of those diagnosed seek help. When you consider leading research that suggests large numbers of men don’t self-identify as having eating disorders and face systemic barriers in diagnosis, the actual prevalence of the issue could be much higher. And yet, for a condition that causes more fatalities for men than our national road toll, urgency and a tailored approach are severely lacking.

This is a cultural problem. All over the world, from generation to generation, boys and men are told not to seek help and are expected to swallow their shame. Meanwhile social media, targeted advertising and gym culture serve up a toxic cocktail of unrealistic and harmful male body standards. What it’s amounted to is a crisis born of these antiquated notions of masculinity, preventing early intervention and perpetuating bias which limits young men’s ability to access adequate care.

IT’S NOT ABOUT THE FOOD confronts a hidden, fast-growing crisis: eating disorders and body image harm among boys and men, long overlooked because the illness is assumed to affect only women and girls. Through lived-experience storytelling, anchored in director Jason Christou’s own, the film drives urgent discourse around male eating disorders.

It reveals the root causes and how the illness presents differently in men, encourages young men to identify with the issue and seek help, builds awareness among their loved ones and carers, and exposes the inadequacies in community and health sectors when it comes to males experiencing an eating disorder.

Paired with a national impact campaign led by Sam Butcher, alongside Movember, Eating Disorders Victoria, the Butterfly Foundation, The Resilience Project and Orygen, the film aims to contribute to a societal shift, one that sees young men receive the care they so desperately need before it’s too late.

We hope to achieve the following goals:

SHORT-TERM
– Raise awareness and understanding of male eating disorders, their root causes, and how they present
– Help young men feel seen through shared on-screen stories
– Encourage reflection and conversations about body image
– Share knowledge on how to seek help—for oneself or a loved one
– Direct support and donations toward relevant organisations

MEDIUM-TERM
– Motivate care providers and advocates to prioritise male eating disorders
– Upskill GPs, clinicians, frontline workers, and men’s health programs on the diverse presentations of eating disorders in men
– Increase the number of men recognising symptoms and seeking help
– Grow empathy and understanding among families and communities

LONG TERM
– Improve diagnosis rates for male eating disorders
– Develop tailored services for boys and men
– Increase funding for male-specific eating disorder research
– Include all eating disorders for Medicare coverage

As a lived-experience survivor, our director and lead participant Jason has built strong partnerships across the sector. Eating Disorders Victoria and the Butterfly Foundation are closely involved, supporting our duty-of-care protocols and offering frontline insight. Through Movember’s Men in Mind program, we’ll reach 60,000 GPs nationally, equipping them to meet men at crucial help-seeking moments.

The Resilience Project supports our educational outreach into schools, where film offers a powerful, safe entry point for difficult conversations. Orygen and The University of Melbourne ensure access to the latest research on causes and treatment, while The Royal Children’s Hospital and On Core Nutrition provide clinical guidance.

We’re also partnering with The Man Cave, The News Movement, Beyond Blue, high-profile ambassadors and impact consultant Taryn Brumfitt, extending the film’s reach and cementing its authority across clinical, community and public audiences.

This project will encourage audiences to:
– Reflect and talk about your own experience with body image (and that of loved ones).
– Learn more about male eating disorders and connect with resources, including ways to seek help.
– Donate to organisations that provide care to men who identify with an eating disorder and advocate for eating disorder awareness and research.
– Host a screening in your local community, or for your organisation.
– Specifically for leadership in eating disorder organisations – take urgent action to address the issue and make this a strategic goal for your organisation.