Preferences for being muscular and thin in 6-year-old boys

Body Image. 2018 Sep:26:98-102. doi: 10.1016/j.bodyim.2018.07.003. Epub 2018 Jul 24.

Abstract

Body dissatisfaction emerges at an early age in childhood. However, the unique experiences of young boys regarding muscularity have not been examined. Interview responses were collected from 101 6-year-old boys to examine muscularity- and thinness-oriented body dissatisfaction. Both muscularity- and thinness-oriented body dissatisfaction were evident; boys on average selected ideal figure sizes significantly more muscular and significantly thinner than current figures. In addition, a significantly greater proportion of boys wanted to be more muscular (32.6%) than less muscular (16.8%), and thinner (20.8%) rather than larger-fatter (8.9%). Further, boys perceived significantly greater rewards from muscularity than from thinness. Findings demonstrate that muscularity and thinness-oriented body dissatisfaction is present in a substantial proportion of young boys, although a greater proportion are dissatisfied with muscularity than with thinness, suggesting that examination of body image in young boys needs to focus on muscularity dimensions as well as thinness-fatness dimensions.

Keywords: Body dissatisfaction; Boys; Figure rating scales; Muscularity; Thinness.

MeSH terms

  • Body Composition*
  • Body Image / psychology*
  • Child
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Personal Satisfaction*
  • Thinness / psychology*