Body image and body change techniques among young adolescent boys

The aim of the present study was to examine the level of body image disturb ance among adolescent boys and to determine how body image disturbance was related to body change techniques. Twenty boys from year 7 (mean age = 12.5 5 years, SD = 0.61) and 20 boys from year 9 (mean age = 14.85 years, SD = 0 .59) were interviewed individually about their body image and body change s trategies. The boys were questioned about the importance and their satisfac tion with their weight, body size, body shape, muscle tone and parts of the ir body and the frequency with which they used the following techniques: ea ting less to lose weight, eating more to gain weight, and exercise to chang e body size, shape or muscle tone. The results demonstrated that of those b oys who wanted to change their body (50 per cent), 12 wanted to lose weight and eight wanted to gain weight. The most frequent strategy used to change body size or shape was exercise, rather than changing eating patterns. Yea r 7 boys were more satisfied with their weight than year 9 boys, and boys w ith a larger body mass index (BAG) were less satisfied with their muscle to ne and more likely to change their eating habits to decrease their body siz e or shape than boys with a smaller BMI. The implications of these findings for obtaining a better understanding of how male body image and body chang e strategies are different from girls are discussed. Copyright (C) 2001 Joh n Wiley & Sons, Ltd and Eating Disorders Association.