Worried About How You Look In The Mirror?

Struggling with how you see your body? Take this free body image test for men.

BODY IMAGE ISSUES IN MEN

“Body image” is often framed as an issue that mostly affects women, with a focus on weight and body shape. While issues related to body dissatisfaction do disproportionately affect women, men also struggle with body image issues. This is particularly evident when it comes to muscle mass, with men being four-to-eight times more likely than women to use steroids.[1]

Aside from building muscle, the concerns men have about their bodies are very similar to those of women, with one study finding one in three men were concerned with the size of their waist or stomach and one in five worried about their overall weight and shape.[2]

Body dissatisfaction is associated with lower self-esteem and lower life satisfaction, and is also a risk factor for developing disordered eating and depression.[1] This may lead to ruminations and negative thoughts such as:

  • “Am I skinny fat?”
  • “Why do I look fat in pictures​?”
  • “Why do I look so ugly in pictures​”
  • “I hate the way I look”

If you’ve ever caught yourself with such thoughts, you’re not alone. Many guys feel pressure to look a certain way, and don’t realize how common this form of discomfort really is.

BODY IMAGE ASSESSMENT

The assessment below is a free, anonymous test that asks a few questions about how you see your body and how thinking about your body affects your daily life. It doesn’t provide a formal diagnosis, but tailored feedback will be provided based on your responses. You can also print your results to use as a conversation starter with a therapist or healthcare professional.

Come back and track your progress

This test can be used as a tool to help you track the impact that your body image is having on you and monitor how it changes over time.

Disclaimer

This assessment is based on the Body Image Disturbance Questionnaire, a psychometrically-validated tool that is used in clinical and research settings to assess distress related to one’s body image.

This assessment tool should not be used on its own for self-diagnosis. You may wish to save or print your results to share with your primary healthcare provider as a way of starting a conversation.

Privacy

This survey is anonymous and does not collect directly identifying information. However, under UBC policies and BC’s Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act (FIPPA), some demographic data may still be considered personal information.

Responses are securely stored on Canadian servers and used only for research and content development. For questions, contact [email protected].

Contact information for our email newsletter (if you choose to opt-in) and your responses are stored separately.

See our terms, privacy, and conditions for more information.

References

  1. Karazsia, B. T., Murnen, S. K., & Tylka, T. L. (2017). Is body dissatisfaction changing across time? A cross-temporal meta-analysis. Psychological Bulletin, 143(3), 293-320. https://doi.org/10.1037/bul0000081
  2. Cash, T. F., Phillips, K. A., Santos, M. T., & Hrabosky, J. I. (2004). Measuring “negative body image”: Validation of the body image disturbance questionnaire in a nonclinical population. Body Image, 1(4), 363-372. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bodyim.2004.10.001