Young Women Want to Lose Weight While Young Men Aim to Build Muscle, Survey Shows

A recent Student Edge survey shows both young men and women are affected by body image.

It's no surprise to hear that people, in general, are struggling with body image and self-esteem issues.

There are countless studies that show both men and women facing difficulties regarding body image, and with the rise of social media sites like Instagram, these issues are compounded at an earlier age.

To see how these issues impacted people between 16 and 21, Student Edge asked 507 members about their nutrition and fitness routines and goals.

When asked how they would consider their eating habits, more than half considered their general nutrition to be "healthy".

However, 44 per cent admitted they're not eating as well as they should be, with only 11 per cent considering themselves "as healthy as ever".

When it came to identifying ideal health and fitness goals, some of those body image issues began to show. Forty-nine per cent of young women indicated they wanted to lose weight, with 48 per cent indicating they wanted to lose fat, specifically. Their male counterparts weren't quite as worried, with only 24 per cent saying they wanted to lose weight.

For women, it appeared there was a causal linkage between weight loss and clothing size, with 39 per cent indicating they wanted to fit into smaller clothing sizes compared to just six per cent of men.

Young men, in comparison, opted more for muscle-building goals, with 53 per cent wanting to build muscle compared to 31 per cent of young women, and 29 per cent admitting they want to get a six-pack while just 13 per cent of young women indicated the same. Women, instead of aiming for muscle-building, preferred the idea of body toning, with 58 per cent compared to 45 per cent of men.

Not all responses were related to body image, with some choosing to focus on exercise goals to improve their mental health and flexibility. Forty-three per cent of young women wanted to improve their mental health through exercise compared with 32 per cent of young men, while 20 per cent of men indicated that they wanted to improve their flexibility in contrast with 31 per cent of women.

If some of these statistics reflect your thoughts, there are resources available to help you change your perspective. ReachOut offers information to anyone who might be struggling with their body image.

Header Image: FOX