Body image refers to how you see yourself, how you feel about the way you look and how you think others perceive you. The reality is that both males and females come in all different shapes and sizes, therefore it is unrealistic to represent only one body type as beautiful. Research suggests that less than a quarter of Australian girls and a third of Australian boys are satisfied with their weight.
Body image was identified as one of the three top concerns of young people in Mission Australia’s Youth Survey 2016, with concerns considerably higher among females than males.
However, males are increasingly feeling the pressure to maintain or achieve high levels of fitness and physical perfection. The sporting club change rooms and time at the beach, or intimate experiences, can be intimidating for some young men.
Sourced from WA Dept of Health, GDHR, February 2018 <https://gdhr.wa.gov.au/-/media-and-body-image>