By Annique Simpson
Men may be as preoccupied with their body image as women, according to a new survey by the University of West England (UWE).
Over 80% of the men questioned by the Centre for Appearance Research (CAR) at UWE Bristol admitted to regularly engaging in conversations about their own or other’s bodies; a result similar to that found amongst women in a similar study.
The survey also revealed that over 60% of respondents felt that these discussions – known as ‘body talk’ – had a personal and predominantly negative effect on them.
‘Beer bellies’ and inadequate muscularity were the two main body issues for the men, with around 60% believing that their arms and chests were too scrawny.
Some respondents were willing to go to great lengths to achieve their ideal body. Over 35% said they would sacrifice a year of their life for the perfect physique and 32% confessed to using ‘compulsive’ exercise as a form of weight control.
The study – which looked at the body image attitudes of 384 British men – was co-commissioned by Central YMCA and The Succeed Foundation, an eating disorders charity, and was led by Dr Phillippa Diedrichs.
“This research really demonstrates that body image is an issue for everyone and that we need to take a collaborative approach towards promoting an environment that values diversity in appearance and promotes healthy body image,” said Dr Diedrichs.
Rosi Prescott, Chief Executive of Central YMCA, said: “The fact that one in three men would sacrifice a year of life to achieve their ideal weight and shape is a worrying sign and suggests that men are placing more value on their appearance than on other things, including life itself.”
