A teenage boy goes to the gym several times a week. He takes protein powder and watches what he eats carefully. He talks about being “ripped” or “jacked”.
Is this a sign of a young person developing healthy, disciplined habits? Or has it turned into an unhealthy focus on his appearance?
How can parents tell the difference between a boy who loves to train and is happy, and one who can’t stop and has ?
The pressure to be ‘ripped’
It’s common for while still in school.
While this is not new, social media has increased pressure on young people . For boys, that often means a lean body with large, sharply defined muscles.
A lot of for parents focuses on girls. But .
In boys, of an unhealthy focus on the body can take longer to recognise due to a broader societal acceptance of boys and men aiming to build their muscles.
Body dysmorphia in boys
Body image issues in boys are . The best Australian evidence comes from a than 3,600 teenagers.
This study found 2.2% of boys met the criteria for muscle dysmorphia – this finding was several years before the modern trend of “” went mainstream, so may be even higher today.
Muscle dysmorphia is a form of where a person becomes preoccupied with the belief they are not muscular enough, to the point it is disruptive to their life or causes distress.
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More than just exercise
Research suggests muscle building does not just involve extreme exercise. In a 2020 , researchers found almost half of the 14–16 year old boys used protein powder, and concerningly 4% reported having used anabolic steroids.
On social media, to the traditional urge for many boys to build muscle. This content treats everything about a young man’s appearance or altered. Faces and bodies are rated and looks are deemed markers of status.
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What should parents of boys look out for?
It’s not so much a question of how much a young person is training but their attitude around it and any impacts. If the gym work doesn’t seem to be leading to happiness with personal achievements, something may be awry.
For example:
- training becomes rigid to the , for example, at the expense of time with friends, family or school
- your child becomes anxious or irritable when missing a session.
Most teenagers care about how they look. But take notice if it starts to have an impact on regular life. For example:
- avoiding certain situations (such as the beach or swimming pools)
- expressing body image concerns
- .
Language is a clue. If he’s talking about being “mogged” (looksmaxxing jargon for being outdone by another boy based on his “looks”), or ratings of “frames” (his bone structure – such as height and shoulder width), he may be exposed to looksmaxxing content.
Vials or needles arriving in the mail are obviously a more urgent signal there is a problem.
What can parents do?
If you’re worried, talk to your son about his gym time and how he’s feeling about himself. Start with curiosity, not criticism or judgement. Ask what he’s seeing online and who he follows.
Ask open-ended questions to understand his underlying reasons for training, such as:
What are you enjoying most about training?
How do you feel if you miss a session?
Who inspires you to train? Would you show me their stuff?
Avoid making judgements about his body. Comments such as, “You’re getting big” tells him his body is how he earns approval. Talk instead about what his body lets him do: his sport, being a part of a team, and the role he can play for others in his life.
Talk plainly about what, if anything, he might be taking. Independent products has found some don’t have the labelled ingredients, and others can have a different substance altogether. If you find needles, stay calm, because panic and anger are .
Parents may ask where these substances came from or how they were found. A GP checkup can check his health and be an avenue to further support. For eating disorder or body image concerns, a call with the could help.
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Better role models than the maxxers
Boys can benefit from having role models and mentors outside of their immediate family to . That might be a coach, a teacher, an older teammate, or another trusted adult.
Looksmaxxing . They offer boys a clear set of rules for how to “become a man”, along with a sense of belonging. Real-life mentors can offer the same things without the harmful focus on appearance.
Consider if your son has people he can speak to and ask questions of with his best interests in mind. Mentors may allow boys to have conversations they don’t want to have with their parents.
The goal isn’t to get boys out of the gym. It’s to make sure physical training stays something they do, not the thing that decides what they’re worth.
For more information on how to get help for eating disorders, contact the on 1800 33 4673.
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