ABSTRACT
This chapter focuses on body dissatisfaction in men. Men’s body dissatisfaction is evaluated, using work from psychology, sociology, and gender studies to determine whether men are dissatisfied with their bodies and what aspects produce the most dissatisfaction. Work on dieting, bodybuilding and drug use, and cosmetic surgery is reviewed. Interview and questionnaire data from male bodybuilders are presented to enable an understanding of the psychological and social impacts of becoming more muscular. The motivations behind using anabolic steroids and other muscle-enlargement substances, such as synthol, as well as other drugs used to modify body appearance, such as ephedrine, are considered. New data on impact of 3D body scanning on men’s body image is presented and critiqued. Work on the social construction of the masculine body is also reviewed, to evaluate the extent of recent cultural changes on men’s body image.
