A new survey by the Mental Health Foundation has revealed that millions of men in the UK are emotionally and psychologically affected by body image issues.
The survey of 4505 UK adults (2103 males) aged ≥18 years evaluating the effect of body image on individuals in the UK was conducted by YouGov for the Mental Health Foundation earlier this year.
The findings revealed that 28 per cent of adult men felt anxious as a result of body image issues. Moreover, 21 per cent of men reported dressing in a way that hid their body or parts of their body in the last year due to concerns about body image. Twenty-two per cent of men reported comparing themselves to others in a negative manner in the past year. Suicidal thoughts and feeling were reported by 11 per cent of men, and deliberate self-harm was reported by 4 per cent of men as a consequence of body image issues.
Mark Rowland, Chief Executive of the Mental Health Foundation, said: "Body image is often seen as an issue that only affects women – but it is clear from our data that it is affecting millions of men in the UK as well. It is important we recognise the significant negative impact a media environment can have on mental health."
