There has long been concern about girls risking their health to conformto body standards. A combination of peer pressure and magazine images ofwaif-like celebrities has been held responsible for leading some younggirls to disorders such as anorexia and bulimia. But are boys similarlyaffected?
A new study of more than 500 teenagers suggests that boys are alsoaffected by perceived pressure from parents, siblings, friends and themedia. According to the report, published in the British Journal ofHealth Psychology, while girls are under pressure to be thin, boys areunder pressure to be muscular.
The growth of men's magazines and the widespread use of toned malemodels sporting "six-packs" is thought to be one of the reasons forgrowing body consciousness among young boys.
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