A new study on a Dublin hospital shows a dramatic increase in the number of boys being treated for anorexia.
The report on Temple Street Children's Hospital and published in the Irish Medical Journal shows that one in 4 being treated for the condition is a male, with the average age just 13 and a half.
The research also found that the number of children being treated for the eating disorder has increased by 130 percent in 9 years.
Its also thought that some children treated for anorexia may have developed the illness after suffering mouth pain due to wearing braces.
Doctors at Temple Street found that one in 3 children hospitalised for the illness has had orthodontic treatment, which is disproportionately high.
The authors of the study have recommended that dedicated beds to deal with anorexia be included in the new national children's hospital.
