One in three men suffering anxiety about their looks
MANY Scots men are so unhappy about their looks they have avoided beach holidays and social activities, a new survey has found.
Almost three in ten men have felt anxious because of their body image, with some even feeling suicidal.
And 23 per cent told the survey, published by the Mental Health Foundation (MHF) Scotland, they had avoided social activities that would require them to show their body, such as sports or a beach holiday.
MHF Scotland says reality TV shows such as Love Island and advertising are fuelling men’s insecurities about body image.
The charity is calling on the Scottish Government and relevant industries to take action.
The research found 28 per cent of men say they have experienced anxiety due to their body image, while 34 per cent said their body image had impacted negatively on their self-esteem in the past year.
The study of 465 men in
Scotland found 12 per cent have experienced suicidal thoughts and feelings because of body image issues, while 4 per cent of respondents said they had deliberately hurt themselves.
The findings reveal that body image anxiety affects men as well as women.
They follow previous reports that have shown young people’s mental wellbeing has worsened in Scotland in recent years, particularly among teenage girls.
A separate survey last year revealed two in five women found reality TV shows and social media have a negative effect on the way they see their body.
Julie Cameron, head of programmes at MHF Scotland, said: ‘Body image is often seen as an issue that affects women – but it is clear from our data that it is affecting large numbers of men as well.
‘Men are also increasingly being surrounded by images of idealised body types – either through advertising or reality TV shows.
‘The consequences of body image issues can be serious. It is shocking that over one in ten of the men who responded to our Scottish survey said they had experienced suicidal thoughts as a result of body image issues.
There is evidence to suggest body image issues in men are becoming more pronounced. Men also can find it more difficult to talk about their mental health.
‘But none of this inevitable. There is much we can do as a society to reduce pressures on men.’
The figures came from a survey carried out by YouGov in March this year, of Scots adults over the age of 18. They were released as part of men’s health awareness month ‘Movember’.
Earlier this year the Scottish Government announced a new Body Image Advisory Group. It will take a review across Scotland to understand more about body image and provide recommendations and advice to ministers.
MHF Scotland, which co-chairs the Scottish Government’s Body Image Advisory Group, has also campaigned for reality TV shows such as Love Island to avoid showing unrealistic body types.
The charity is asking that social media companies sign the Be Real Campaign’s Body Image Pledge, which calls for the responsible portrayal of body image – focusing on a person’s health, not appearance.
A Scottish Government spokesman said: ‘We acknowledge the Mental Health Foundation’s research. As well as the ongoing work of our Body Image Advisory Group, which will report in early 2020, we have allocated £90,000 to publish advice on the healthy use of social media and screen time.’
‘Consequences can be serious’