Male Body Image Report Shows Half Of British Men Suffer Low Body Confidence
Millions Of British Men Suffer From Body Image Issues, Including Freddie Flintoff
Rachel Moss— The Huffington Post UK
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Millions of British men suffer from a dissatisfaction with their body image, according to a new report.
In the poll of 2,500 men, almost half (48%) said they desperately want to lose weight while 41% want to tone up.
Being the butt of their mate’s jokes, getting undressed in front of other men and feeling the need to live up to super-fit celebrities and models were all found to contribute to men’s overall lack of body confidence.
Being compared to an ex-partner. or even a sibling, was also found to make men doubt their looks.
The research was commissioned by menswear retailer Jacamo, which has since teamed up with cricket legend Freddie Flintoff and comedian Jack Whitehall to help men tackle their body image issues.
Speaking of his own body image struggles towards the end of his career, Flintoff says: "You’re 37 with your belly hanging over your trousers and you’re surrounded by fit lads in their early twenties, you feel old."
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According to the report, a major complaint shared by those suffering a lack of body confidence is watching films or television programmes that they consider to feature unrealistically attractive men with good bodies (16%).
Around one in 16 (7%) said this pressure is made worse when their partner looks at images of men with muscular bodies they don’t feel they can ever achieve.
When it comes to key problem areas, more than half of men (54%) dislike their stomachs, while one in seven (14%) wish they had bigger pecs.
A total of 18% of those involved in the survey said they’d like to buy more fashionable clothes, but find clothes shops intimidating.
To open up discussion about male body image and help men deal with their concerns, Jacamo has created a film with Freddie Flintoff and Jack Whitehall where the pair share details of their own struggles.
After Flintoff says being surrounded by younger players made him feel "old", Whitehall confesses he suffers from heartburn during intimate situations and keeps a bottle of Gaviscon by his bed.
He jokes: "She knows as soon as that cap comes off, its business time."
Stuart Donaldson MP, vice-chair of the all-party parliamentary group on body image commented: "The report reveals that anxiety about body image is an issue for men just as it is for women.
"It’s refreshing in its approach about raising awareness of the issue of male body confidence, a subject that many men may find it difficult to talk about."
He stripped off in an underwear advert spoof alongside David Beckham. The message: "Beauty is skin deep, it's underneath that counts."He also wrote an open letter which was published by Glamour magazine in which he asks people to accept themselves for who they are. "Respect your body. It is what it is, so embrace it," he wrote. "Love every scar, ripple, and imperfection, and you won’t need others to do it for you." (credit:FOX via Getty Images)
David Beckham(02 of07)
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Davey B stars alongside James Corden in the underwear spoof for D&J briefs to promote healthy body image and the idea that beauty is only skin deep. (credit:J. Countess via Getty Images)
Prince Fielder(03 of07)
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Fielder is a baseball player for the Texas Rangers who was featured on the front page of ESPN magazine, naked. The photograph of him was attacked on social media. The baseball player has since spoken out and said that just because a person is plus-size, it doesn't mean they can't be athletic.In an interview with ESPN.com, he said: “A lot of people probably think I’m not athletic or don’t even try to work out or whatever, but I do. Just because you’re big doesn’t mean you can’t be an athlete. And just because you work out doesn’t mean you’re going to have a 12-pack. I work out to make sure I can do my job to the best of my ability. Other than that, I’m not going up there trying to be a fitness model.” (credit:Ronald Martinez via Getty Images)
Matt McGorry(04 of07)
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The Orange Is The New Black star spoke openly about his body concerns during his first shirtless scene on OITNB. He told Yahoo: "I was obsessively dieting, and when I saw that scene before the show ever came out, I thought I had blown it. I was like, 'Oh no! I didn't get as lean as I could've'. But then the show came out, and no one said anything negative about it, and it's funny because from one perspective you could say, 'Oh, he's letting himself go,' but from another perspective, I just don't need that validation I once did."I still love working out, and I think it's good for my health, and I feel good doing it. But I think with mental health, allowing myself to be who I am naturally in terms of my body, I think that's sort of practicing more self-love that way." (credit:Jennifer Lourie via Getty Images)
Gok Wan(05 of07)
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The presenter is an advocate for body confidence in both men and women. He has been incredibly open about his struggles with obesity growing up. He presented a show called Gok's Teens: The Naked Truth, which looked at body image in young people. He also launched a campaign to get body image classes taught in schools across the country. (credit:Dave M. Benett via Getty Images)
Ben Cohen(06 of07)
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The former rugby player has spoken openly about the importance of standing up to bullies. He launched the Ben Cohen Stand Up foundation to raise awareness of the long-term, damaging effects of bullying and to raise funds to support those doing real-world work to stop it.Earlier this year, Cohen was fat-shamed by the Mail Online. "It is time we stand up for what is right and support people who are being harmed. Every person on this planet has a right to be true to themselves, to love and be loved, and to be happy," he said. (credit:Jason Kempin via Getty Images)
Robert Pattinson(07 of07)
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The Twilight actor has been open about his struggles with Body Dysmorphia (BDD), an obsessive anxiety disorder which is characterised by the individual's preoccupation with flaws in his or her appearance which are unnoticeable to others.In the process, he's helped raise awareness of the disorder among men. (credit:Jason Kempin via Getty Images)