ISSUES
: Body Confidence
Chapter 1: Body Image
15
Boys and body image
Boys are affected by the media’s depictions of unrealistic body types. Help them attain their
own ideal – not someone else’s.
By Caroline Knorr
Did you know?
Ö
Body image develops early in
childhood.
Ö
Body image is influenced by
family and culture.
Ö
Exposure to traditional media is
a risk factor for developing body
dissatisfaction.
Three facts about body image
Ö
The proportion of undressed
males in advertising has been
rising steadily since the 1980s.
Ö
33–35% of boys aged six to eight
indicate their ideal body is thinner
than their current body.
Ö
The measurements of the male
action figures young boys play
with exceed even those of the
biggest bodybuilders.
What’s the issue?
The pursuit of a perfect body is no
longer only a ‘girl’ thing. From padded
Halloween superhero costumes that
give five-year-olds six-pack abs to
action movie stars with exaggerated
physiques, representations of men in
the media have become increasingly
muscular and unrealistic. Boys are
falling prey to the images of ideal
bodies splashed across magazine
covers; in video games, movies
and music videos; and now on
social media. Unlike their female
counterparts, however, most boys
aren’t out to get skinny. They want to
bulk up.
Big muscles are typically associated
with good health. But what drives a
young man to achieve that look can
be far from healthy. Researchers
have found a significant relationship
between men’s exposure tomuscular-
ideal media and negative self-image.
With the advent of social media,
online forums and blogs make it easy
to seek and share information about
diet and fitness. And some boys
are going to extreme efforts to get a
muscular, chiselled physique. Finally,
frequent exposure to sexual material
can impact men’s self-consciousness
about their own appearance, as well
as lead them to view women as sex
objects.
Why body image matters for
boys
Although research on boys lags
behind that on girls, it’s clear that
negative self-image can affect boys’
physical and mental health.
Boys are encouraged at an early age
to think that being a man and being
physically strong go hand in hand.
As they grow older, the pressure to
‘man up’ can sometimes lead to crash
diets, over-exercising, smoking, or
even taking dangerous supplements.
Exposure to highly sexualisedmaterial
can impact men’s self-esteem and
relationships. And in a culture that
discourages boys from talking about
their feelings, it can be that much
harder for parents to detect a son’s
body dissatisfaction.
What families can do
Make health a habit. If you take care
of yourself, you’ll help your kids
appreciate all that bodies can do. By
fostering a healthy lifestyle, you’re
helping your kids resist extreme
dieting messages.
Look for alternative media. Avoid TV,
movies and magazines that promote
stereotypes and outdated gender
roles. Seek out unconventional role
models and talk about people from
media and real life who have different
body types and say why you find them
beautiful (for example, they’re kind or
wise).
Do a reality check. Point out that the
sports celebrities they admire have
teams of people helping them to work
out, feeding them special meals and,
in some cases, surgically altering
them. The same holds true for ‘hot’
movie stars. One glance at the real
men in their lives will drive home this
point.
Keep an eye on your kid’s social
networks. Online, boys can feed their
obsession in isolation. Bodybuilding
and fitness forums can promote
risky training and unattainable body
ideals that boys may pursue without
checking with a doctor or coach.
Also, boys can expose themselves to
constant criticism by posting photos
of themselves.
Talk about ‘real’ girls. Highly
sexualised media can distort boys’
understanding of girls, relationships,
and what the opposite sex looks
like. Talk about how porn represents
an extreme perspective that’s not
realistic.
Ö
The above information is reprinted
with kind permission from
Common Sense Media. Please
visit
org for further information.
© Common Sense Media 2016
Body image issues for boys
In a recent survey, 31% of UK men admitted to being dissatisfied with their bodies
Experts estimate
10% of male gym users
may be suffering from
muscle dysmorphia
.
This leads them to underestimate their size
and bulk and can lead to steroid abuse and
depression
Guys are also increasingly reporting
conditions such as anorexia and bulimia.
In 2014,
300,000+ men
were admitted to
hospital for
eating disorders
in the UK alone.
Source: Body image issues for boys, Channel 4, January 2016
