ASPIRING to have the body beautiful has long been thought of as a female obsession.
But now a new study as revealed that men are becoming increasing worried about their body image, resulting in excessive exercise and possible steroid abuse.
Work by psychologist Dr David Giles at the University of Winches-ter has found obsessive exercise to build muscles is a psychological condition that affects young men and has been dubbed Athletica Nervosa.
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Dr Giles' survey, published in the journal Personality and Individual Differences, is the first British study to explore this condition.
Dr Giles, with colleague Jessica Close, surveyed 161 males aged between 18 and 36 in order to examine the influence lads' magazines like Nuts, Loaded and FHM have on body image and the drive for greater muscularity.
The study found that men who read lads' magazines, particularly single men, were more influenced by the flawless body imagery.
"The message in typical lads' magazines is that you need to develop a muscular physique to attract a quality mate,'' said Dr Giles.
"Readers internalise this message, which creates anxieties about their bodies and leads to increasingly desperate attempts to modify them.
"Heavy consumers of lads' mags think about taking anabolic steroids or use protein or energy supplements as part of their regimes.''
Posted by: Condor Man, Southampton on 9:04pm Thu 27 Mar 08
If you watch TV, especially reality shows, the only 'normal' sized people you see are generally there to be ridiculed.
Any man who wastes money on these pursuits needs to have a serious think about where he's spending his money.
If you watch TV, especially reality shows, the only 'normal' sized people you see are generally there to be ridiculed.
Any man who wastes money on these pursuits needs to have a serious think about where he's spending his money.
Posted by: Bagman, Southampton on 9:19pm Thu 27 Mar 08
I have yet to read a comment posted by paul b to be constructive critisism or not denegrating to some group of the general public. I think he must have the saddest life in the Southern Counties.
I have yet to read a comment posted by paul b to be constructive critisism or not denegrating to some group of the general public. I think he must have the saddest life in the Southern Counties.
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