Belly up: why men don’t like their bodies

The research, carried out by the University of the West of England (UWE), spoke to 394 men, with an average age of 40, in collaboration with the Central YMCA and the Succeed Foundation, which works on eating disorders.

Their survey found that more than a third of men would be willing to trade at least year of their life in order to achieve their ideal weight or shape. That figure is even higher for gay men.

They looked in particular at what they called “body talk” among men – often negative references to things like weight or fitness, or comparisons with others. More than 80 per cent of men regularly discuss their bodies, according to the research, and it’s clear that men are just as susceptible to images of the media ideal.

In search of the six pack

But while women are usually preoccupied with weight – there’s no similar “size zero” debate for men. Instead, it’s muscle mass they’re after: looking “ripped”, with a toned “six pack”. Like the Barbie dolls blamed for giving girls an unrealistic idea of a female figure, boys often play with Action Man type characters who look more like extreme body builders than an average guy.

Read more: Children given lessons in body image

So when men exchange “body talk” with each other, the study found they become especially bothered about things like beer bellies, puny muscles, baldness and “man boobs”.

In fact, almost one in five men said they were on a high protein diet to increase muscle mass, while around 15 per cent were on a more traditional calorie-controlled diet in an effort to lose weight. More worryingly, record numbers of men are also taking steroids or having cosmetic surgery in pursuit of that ideal body.

Unhealthy lifestyle

Dr Phillipa Diedrichs of the UWE told the Guardian that body image in men, “especially middle aged men…has been woefully under-reported, but has a negative impact on social relationships and on attitudes to diet, exercise and a healthy lifestyle.”

And it’s clear from the research that “body talk” has little to contribute to a healthy lifestyle – for men, as well as women.