“Exposure to the Mass Media, Body Shape Concerns, and Use of Supplements to Improve Weight and Shape Among Male and Female Adolescents” is available from Pediatrics.
Adolescents who are deeply concerned about their body image are more likely to use potentially unhealthy products such as steroids and growth hormones to enhance their physiques, a study warns.
Of the more than 10,000 12- to 18-year-olds studied as part of Harvard Medical School’s ongoing Growing Up Today survey, 47 percent of boys and 36 percent of girls reported they were satisfied with their bodies.
The study, published in the August issue of the journal Pediatrics, found that some 30 percent of boys and 33 percent of girls wanted more toned and defined muscles. One in 10 boys and one in 12 girls studied said they used products containing hormones or supplements like protein powders and shakes to improve their appearance.
