Half of men struggle with body image issues
CALM and Instagram undercovers worrying stats about male perceptions on how they look, and why they feel the need to have a "perfect body"
We're hearing the pandemic's been piling even more pressure on South Yorkshire men around their body image.
New stats show Covid's led to more than half of 16 to 40 year old males feeling negatively about how they look.
Francis Sprenger's a personal trainer in Sheffield - he says it has a big impact on men's mental health:
"There is a lot of pressure on men nowadays to look a certain way and I think it's harder for men to talk about this sort of thing.
"When was the last time you heard a guy say I I'm not happy with the way my hips look, or the inside of my legs look? Guys feel this way, they just don't speak about it.
"Social media can cause a lot of pressure, primarily Instagram which is a place where people feel like they're getting rewarded for looking a certain way.
"And then that puts a lot of pressure on other people to look that certain way because they think they're going to be more socially accepted as a person."
The investigation from suicide prevention charity Campaign Against Living Miserably (CALM) and Instagram, has investigated how 16-40 year olds feel about their appearance.
The results reveal how Generation Z and Millennial men have been impacted by the pandemic, and how societal pressures in gerneral make them feel about themselves.
Francis says lockdown has made the problem worse:
"There are so many people who've put on weight due to the lack of activty, not through their own fault. This will have an effect on them anyway. On top of that, if people are sitting on social media all day seeing people working out and seeing people in great shape, it's not going to have a great compound effect.
"But I don't think social media is the problem. Before social media there were magazines which did the same thing. I think it's just a general understanding and acceptance that you don't have to look a certain way to be accepted."
How has the pandemic changed the way men feel about their body image?
The results, from 2000 men aged 16-40, showed one in two (58%) have felt negatively about their body as a result of the pandemic.
Examining the causes of body image concerns in young men, the research found over a third (39%) feel pressure to have a “perfect body” and half cite mainstream media, social platforms or celebrity culture as the main sources of body ideals, with over half (54%) agreeing those body types are not representative of men in everyday life.
Is social media part of the problem or part of the solution?
While half of those surveyed agreed social platforms are part of the reason they feel the need to have a "perfect body, there are also movements online that celebrate body positivity, offer advice for self care or share mtivational messages.
BUT the research found hashtags like #bodypositivity and #selflove reveals a gender divide and lack of male voice in the conversation.
Three in five (60%) say they either follow or would like to follow social media accounts that promote positive male body image, with Jack Black, Joe Wicks and Anthony Joshua all named as examples.
The Body Talks campaign
The research found only a quarter (26%) of Gen Z and millennial men feel happy with how they currently look, and a fifth (21%) revealed they don't feel comfortable talking to anyone about it. So to encourage more men to open up, CALM and Instagram have teamed up to launch CALM Body Talks, a series of interviews with famous faces from the world of comedy, TV and sport to get more men talking about their bodies.
WATCH: CALM CEO Simon Gunning discusses the findings with Senior Correspondent Mick Coyle
Simon Gunning, CEO of CALM said: "Body image worries affect people of all genders, body types and backgrounds. And the conversation is much deeper than just weight or body shape. The worries are complex, and can have a significant impact on people’s mental wellbeing. We know that men can often feel disengaged or excluded from the conversation of body positivity because of unhelpful stereotypes. So, like with so many of our campaigns, our partnership with Instagram aims to challenge stereotypes of masculinity and open up a new conversation for men and the communities and people around them.
It's totally normal to worry about whatever strange things you spot in the mirror but it is important to get help if these worries begin to affect your mental wellbeing. As a suicide prevention organisation we know how important it is to talk about everyday worries and tackle them head on. We hope this campaign will be the start of a new conversation that leads more men to seek the support they need.”
Celebrity Support
The launch of Body Talks is supported by Made in Chelsea star Jamie Laing, Comedian Russell Kane and former footballer Leon McKenzie, who are all sharing their stories about body image to encourage other men to speak out.
Visit the CALM website for more information on Body Talks and to get more information about the mental health support and resources they can offer.