Monday, 17 March 2008

Lads mags are damaging our body image

Can men's magazines damage your self-esteem and how you feel about your body? That is the conclusion of Warwick University psychologist David Giles following his study of 161 male readers of mags such as Men's Health, FHM and Loaded.

"We found that the more such magazines a man reads, the more likely he is to be anxious about his physique," he told the Daily Mail. The condition has been dubbed "athletica nervosa".

He and his co-researcher asked the men aged between 18 and 36 about the male magazines they read and for how long, about their diets and exercise and about how they felt about their looks. And it is clear from the interviews that readers do take these magazines - and the images they contain - seriously.

Dr Giles said: "Men who read the most lads' mags seemed to internalise the appearance ideals portrayed by them. Models in these magazines are impossibly good-looking and seeing them can make readers anxious about their own bodies."

It is suggested that the magazines trigger anxieties by implying that superb physical fitness is the only way to snare a good looking girlfriend.

The condition is most serious in single men. "All men who read these magazines were affected, but non-dating men much more so than those in stable romantic relationships," said Dr Giles. "It could be that they become less anxious or it could be they just have less time to get to the gym when they have a partner."

The findings are underlined by research from the University of Illinois which suggests that something similar occurs as the result of playing video games. Apparently, boys as young as eight who read video game magazines feel an urge to build their muscles.

Researchers, Kristen Harrison and Bradley Bond told the newspaper: "Exposure to video gaming magazines predicted a significant increase in a drive for muscularity."

Athletica nervosa is a recognised disorder - at least by some doctors. Those affected can damage their hearts, joints and muscles through excessive exercise. People who are severely affected by the disorder will exercise compulsively even if ill. It is treatable through therapy designed to establish more healthy relationships with food and exercise.

• Do read the lads mags? Do you think they've affected how you feel about yourself?

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