Description

Abs on show at Chicago Pride: pic by Nathan Mac

The CEO of YMCA said

“Today gay men are under enormous pressure about their bodies, and we believe that a lack of body diversity in the media, including the gay press, and a relentless focus which values people based on appearance, may in part explain why gay men are particularly susceptible to this issue.

“This is of concern when we know that record numbers of men are taking steroids or having unnecessary cosmetic surgery to achieve what is often an unattainable or unrealistic body image ideal.”

Problems include

• Fad dieting – around 17% of men are dieting at any given time. Those diets are not always nutritionally sound.
• Eating disorders – one in 10 people with anorexia nervosa is now male, while 4% of men are purging (vomiting or exercising compulsively, also known as bulimia) and about 3% of men have problems with binge eating.
• Exercise dependence – around 20% of regular exercisers (approximately 5% of the population) are addicted to exercise, either psychologically or physically.
• Steroid abuse – around 3% of Australian teenage boys use muscle-enhancing drugs (like steroids).

Join me and my guests this week as we tackle the myths and fads

Dr George Forgan Smith The Healthy Bear

Brett Hayhoe Publisher Q Magazine

Dr Naomi Crafti psychologist specialising in body image and eating disorders

Are you dissatisfied with your body?

How many hours a day do you spend in the gym?

Men:

Do you have those perfect abs, and what does it take to get them and keep them?

Do the pictures in gay mags make you wish you looked like them?

Have you considered cosmetic surgery, botox, etc?

Women:

Are you comfortable in the shape you’re in?

Do you buy into the whole ‘diet industry’ pressure to be slim?

Can you be fat AND fit?

The post Rainbow Report on Body Image & Eating Disorders appeared first on Rainbow Report.