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Being Comfortable in Your Body as a Teenage Male
Have you seen a kids’ action figure lately? Most are massively muscular, and for those that have been around for a while, like Luke Skywalker and G.I. Joe, they’re bigger and stronger than the decades-old versions1. This can be tough for a teenage male especially when muscle is piling onto male models who are showing more and more skin in a growing number of ads.
What about the boys growing up in this environment?
About 18 percent of teenage boys and young men are extremely concerned with their weight and physique, and almost 8 percent are using unhealthy means to achieve the body they want2.
Communicating with the Teenage Male About Body Image
It’s time to start talking body image to boys. Just as many men as women want to change their bodies, and 25 percent or more are doing so with eating disorders, according to The National Association of Men with Eating Disorders (NAMED).
While girls typically wish to be thinner, teenage boys often want to gain weight and muscles (Strother, 2012). Unlike females who often fret over the size and shape of their lower body and diet to control it, guys are more likely to over-exercise to improve what’s above the waist, like abs, chest, biceps, and back.
The Objectification of Males
Men today are objectified in media more than ever. The result is a picture-perfect image of how a man’s body “should” look, and males feeling badly about themselves when they don’t. Guys become more depressed and less satisfied with their bodies the more they see TV advertisements showing men with “ideal” bodies3.
The message women have been sent for decades is now passed to guys at the cost of male’s body image, but especially that of adolescent boys, who already struggle with zits, lanky limbs, cracking voices, and fuzzy chins.
What Increases the Risk of Low Body Image? What Helps It?
A teenage male is at greater risk for low body image if he was overweight as a child; exposed to media focused on the ideal male body; are victims of teasing from friends and/or family members; and/or participate in sports with weight requirements, like wrestling, running, and swimming.
The teenage male can develop and maintain a healthy body image if he:
- Recognize there is no one “right” body size.
- Focus on qualities unrelated to physical appearance.
- Look critically at media images focused on the “bodybuilder” physique.
- Remember physical appearance doesn’t determine the worth of someone.
- Find friends who aren’t overly concerned with weight or appearance.
- Confront people who tease others about physical appearance.
- Respect men of all shapes, sizes, and personality types.
- Respond to negative self-talk with positive affirmation.
- Focus on the ways in which your body serves you and enables you to participate fully in life4.
About the Author:
Leigh Bell holds a Bachelor of Arts in English with minors in Creative Writing and French from Loyola Marymount University in Los Angeles. She is a published author, a journalist with 15 years of experience, and a recipient of the Rosalynn Carter Fellowship for Mental Health Journalism. Leigh is recovered from a near-fatal, decade-long battle with anorexia and the mother of three young, rambunctious children.
References:
- Pope, H., Olivardia, R., Gruber, A., & Borowiecki, J. (1999). Evolving ideals of male body image as seen through action toys. International Journal of Eating Disorders, 26(1), 65-72.
- Field, A., Sonneville K., Crosby R., Swanson S., Eddy K., Camargo C., Horton, N, Micali, N. (2014). Prospective associations of concerns about physique and the development of obesity, binge drinking, and drug use among adolescent boys and young adult men. JAMA Pediatrics, 168(1), 34-39.
- Strother, E., Lemberg, R., Stanford, S.C., & Turberville (2012) Eating disorders in men: underdiagnosed, undertreated, and misunderstood. Eating disorders: The Journal of Treatment & Prevention. 20:5, 346-355.
- Shiltz, T. (1997) “Suggestions for Improving Body Image Handout 7.1” in Eating Concerns Support Group Curriculum, Community Recovery Press, Greenfield, WI.
The opinions and views of our guest contributors are shared to provide a broad perspective on eating disorders. These are not necessarily the views of Eating Disorder Hope, but an effort to offer a discussion of various issues by different concerned individuals.
We at Eating Disorder Hope understand that eating disorders result from a combination of environmental and genetic factors. If you or a loved one are suffering from an eating disorder, please know that there is hope for you, and seek immediate professional help.
Published April 28th, 2015, on EatingDisorderHope.com
Reviewed & Updated on July 22, 2019, by Jacquelyn Ekern MS, LPC
