Do men really worry more about their appearance?

Body image concerns more men than women, research finds

Anxiety about body image has led to some men conceding they would exchange a year of their life for the perfect physique

More men worry about their body shape and appearance – beer bellies, "man boobs" or going bald – than women do about how they look, according to research.

More than four in five men (80.7%) talk in ways that promote anxiety about their body image by referring to perceived flaws and imperfections, compared with 75% of women. Similarly, 38% of men would sacrifice at least a year of their life in exchange for a perfect body – again, a higher proportion than women.

"These findings tell us that men are concerned about body image, just like women. We knew that 'body talk' affected women and young people and now we know that it affects men too," said Dr Phillippa Diedrichs, from the centre of appearance research at the University of the West of England. She conducted the study, of 394 British men, which was commissioned by Central YMCA and the Succeed Foundation, an eating disorders charity. 

The survey revealed that men have high levels of anxiety about their bodies and that some resort to compulsive exercise, strict diets, laxatives or making themselves sick in an attempt to lose weight or achieve a more toned physique. 
  • 80.7% talked about their own or others' appearance in ways that draw attention to weight, lack of hair or slim frame. 30% have heard someone refer to their "beer belly", 
  • 19% have been described as "chubby" and 19% have overheard talk about their "man boobs (moobs)". 
  • 23% said concerns about their appearance had deterred them from going to the gym. 
  • 63% thought their arms or chests were not muscular enough. 
  • 29% thought about their appearance at least five times a day. 
  • 18% were on a high-protein diet to increase muscle mass, and 16% on a calorie-controlled diet to slim down. 
Rosi Prescott, Central YMCA's chief executive, said: "Historically, conversation about your body has been perceived as something women do, but it is clear from this research that men are also guilty of commenting on one another's bodies, and in many cases this is having a damaging effect." Men's high levels of body talk were symptomatic of a growing obsession with appearance, she added. 

Some three in five men (58.6%) said body talk affected them, usually negatively. Some 12% said they would trade a year of life if they could have their ideal body weight and shape, 15.2% would give up two to five years, 5.3% would forego six to 10 years and 5.3% would sacrifice a decade or more. 

Some 4% said they had made themselves sick to control their weight, while 3.4% reported using laxatives for the same purpose. Almost a third (31.9%) had "exercised in a driven or compulsive way" in pursuit of that goal, although that might have been partly due to 52% of the respondents being gym members, when the average is 12%. 

Respondents, of whom about a quarter were gay men, blamed the media and celebrities for unhelpfully reinforcing unrealistic ideals of physical perfection. "Girls want to be slim and males want to be big and lean, and while it isn't a bad thing for people to want to look better, it has become more like a competition, which has a bad effect on most people's mental health", said one respondent. 

Alan White, a professor of men's health at Leeds Metropolitan University, said: "These findings are worrying but not surprising. There's been a big increase in the numbers of British men having cosmetic procedures such as a nose job or removal of breast tissue; that's gone from almost nothing to quite a significant industry over the last 10 years. All this fuels the idea of the body beautiful and encourages a quick fix rather than appropriate diet and physical fitness levels."

Vocabulary: 

to concern 

to lead to 

a beer belly 

boobs

to go bald 

a flaw 

a disorder 

to resort to 

to draw attention to sth 

a lack of sth

(a slim) frame 

chubby (adj) 

to overhear 

moobs 

to slim down

to be deterred from doing sth 

to trade 

to forego 

a shape 

in pursuit of sth 

driven (adj) 

due to 

the average 

lean (adj) 

a nose job 

removal (n) 

to fuel (an idea) 

to encourage 

a quick fix 


What do you think? Are men more worried about their appearance than women? 

What would you like to change about your appearance?

Comments

Anonymous said…
Men used to be less concerned when we talked about physical but nowadays they tend to put more attention in it.

I think that stars are a part of the creation of the new man. Because when we see a movie for example, we only see beautiful guys and girls, so people in the street think that we have to do an effort if we want to get on in life.

I don't know if i would like to change my appearance because i'm like that and people who know me or want to know me, must accept me as I am!

Majda
Graham said…
Hi Majda,

I am not surprised by this news. A monster has been created, OTHERWISE KNOWN AS "the new man". Nowadays men have to be concerned about fashion and their appearance. Many go to the extreme of *HAVING hair REMOVED and EYEBROWS PLUCKED; there are almost as many beauty products for men as there are for women. The whole things is out of control.


Men used to be less concerned REGARDING PHYSIQUE but nowadays they tend to PAY MORE ATTENTION TO IT.

I think that stars are PARTLY THE REASON FOR the creation of the new man. Because when we see a movie for example, we only see beautiful guys and girls, so people in the street think that we have to MAKE AN EFFORT if we want to get on in life.

I don't know if I would like to change my appearance because THAT'S HOW I AM and people who know me or want to know me, must accept me as I am!


* HAVE STG DONE - DO YOU SEE HOW I TRY TO USE CONSTRUCTIONS THAT YOU'VE ALREADY SEEN? :-)
Anonymous said…
Yes! But the construction is different as the first we've seen.. because you use the -ing form... it's the same, isn't it?

Majda
Graham said…
Well it depends on the tense:

I'm having my living room redecorated next week.
IT'S ABOUT TIME YOU HAD your eyes tested.
I'll get my teeth polished when I go to the dentist's on Monday.
I get my shopping delivered home every week.

In the above case:

preposition + verbING

the extreme OF havING hair removed.

So it's exactly the same as you saw in class the other day.
Anonymous said…
Hi Graham:
If my grandfather piched up his head, he whould frighten. The man carries bag like a woman. The man wears earrings in his ears. Before he goes to bed he cleans his face and he puts the moisturizing cream. The men wax and do manicure. ¡Strange modern pohenomenon!
The modern man concerns very much about his body. He drinks light liquids, beer and wine without alcohol, he eats organic foods, biological yogurt and fruit instead whisky. There aren´t men already.
The modern man doesn´t open the door to women, neither leaves the seat to women in the underground nor helps to women with the baby carriage. The man is in extinction.
LOL.
I have to say goodbye to you because, as you know, in the idus of March, Cronos used to come with his boys to steal me on hour, already he is surroundings my house. I can´t do anything but the October I will take revenge. LOL
See you soon. José.
Graham said…
Hi José!

We missed you in class today.

So you don't approve of the new man - neither do I, to be honest.


If my grandfather raised his head, he would get a fright. The new man carries a bag like a woman. He wears earrings. Before he goes to bed he cleans his face and he puts on moisturizing cream. Men wax and have manicures. What a strange modern phenomenon!

The modern man really takes care of his body. He drinks diet/sugar free drinks, beer and wine without alcohol, he eats organic foods, biological yogurt and fruit instead of whisky. There aren´t any men now. ("ya" = now or already; it depends on the context)

The modern man doesn´t open the door for women, neither gives up his seat to women on the underground nor helps women with a pram. Man is extinct.
LOL.


I'm afraid I don't understand the last bit. I don't see the connection between the Ides of March and Cronus.

I have to say goodbye to you because, as you know, in the Ides of March, Cronos used to come with his boys ??to steal me on hour??, already he is surrounding my house. I can´t do anything but in October I will take revenge. LOL


OK I hope to see you tomorrow morning for lesson and a coffee.
Anonymous said…
Hi Graham, it's Inés.

I've realized that nowadays men are quite more concerned about their look and appearance than before. I personally don't care if they worry about their appearance more than women, or if they apply moisturizers, as long as they are happy, but I think that exchanging a year of their own lives just to have a perfect physique is excessive. What I mean is that sometimes a beer belly isn't a problem if the man is nice and kind.
I think that each person has their own physical "imperfections" or flaws, but that's precisely what makes each one attractive.

See you on Wednesday!

Unknown said…
Hi Graham it's Alicia:
I think men are less worried about their appearence than women. Women have always been more concerned about their look, trying to be fit, getting the hair done, putting on some make up,... But I believe nowadays men care more about their look, and also they try to be fit, to wear nice close,... Despite, I'm still thinking women worry more about their appearence than men.

See you tomorrow :)

Graham said…
Hi Inés and Alicia,

I think it is important that everyone tries to keep in shape and take some interest in their appearance. However, many people go too far.

I don't understand guys who remove hair, get their eyebrows shaped or have an unhealthy obsession about cosmetics.



to wear nice clothes,... *Despite this, I'm still thinking women worry more about their appearence than men


*despite + noun

Unknown said…
Hi Graham,
I agree that lately the aesthetic care of man has increased a lot. Now, there are many more products to take care of the appearance of man. And I think that in a while it will be very close to that of women, but women have been in this for longer. Today, still many care for man are seen in a derogatory way.
Gus said…
I believe that, by a natural law, the man tries to conquer the woman and the woman chooses among the men the one that seems most interesting to her. In recent times, women have reached a better position in terms of rights, training, economy and many aspects in which formerly there was a greater preponderance of men. In many cases, nowadays it is no longer enough for a man to have a good economy and greater physical strength, but to have a better chance of making a good conquest is why he is involved in operating rooms and gyms. Before, he did not need it so much.
Graham said…
Good evening Gus,

How times have changed. It used to be women that would take ages to get ready to go out; now it's men who spend more time preening themselves and choosing which outfit to wear. Men openly worry about their appearance, looking at their reflection at every opportunity or putting on face or body creams in gym changing rooms.

I believe that, due to natural law, the man tries to conquer the woman and the woman chooses among the men the one that seems most interesting to her. In recent times, women have reached a better position in terms of rights, training, economy and many aspects in which formerly there was a greater preponderance of men. In many cases, nowadays it is no longer enough for a man to be financially well-off and have greater physical strength. So as to have a better chance of making a great conquest, he is ioften found in operating rooms and gyms. Before, he did not need it so much.