There is a greater dissatisfaction amongst females about their body image when compared to males. However, to assume that males do not have body image issues is extremely misleading. More and more health care professionals are starting to take this into consideration.

 Recent studies on male body image have been conducted on ages as young as six years old. One study done on boys between the ages of 7 and 9 revealed the following:

•  50% wanted to change their body.
• Changing eating patterns and exercise are both considered by the boys to make body changes.
• Exercise seems to be more frequently considered than change of eating habits.
• Losing weight and gaining weight are both major themes. 
• The ultimate goal seems to increase muscle mass or tone. 
• The younger boys tended to be more satisfied with their weight than the nine year olds. 
• Heavier boys were less satisfied with their muscle tone and more likely to change eating patterns than the thinner ones.

Studies also show that adolescent depressive symptoms are substantially reduced when body image is controlled. Even though, female adolescents are more vulnerable to body image issues than males, scholars have begun to examine the increased emphasis on muscularity for men. The current belief is that a drive to be muscular may be as dangerous for adolescent boys as a drive to be thin is for adolescent girls. Sports, health, and fitness magazines focus on the importance of muscularity and the methods to obtain these perfect sports bodies. For both boys and girls, magazine reading, social comparisons, and critical body image processing are important predictors of body image and eating disturbances. 

Teenage Americans are not the only ones focusing on body image. In the European Union (Europe) a study of 15,239 teenage subjects was conducted. The results are as follows: 

• Only 39% of respondents were satisfied with their weight.
• Male (46%) were more likely satisfied than female.
• Finnish subjects were least content (29%) content with their weight 
• Belgium (47%) and Luxemburg (49%) were the most satisfied. 
• The highest percentage of subjects who were content with their body weight was females who were underweight (58%). 
• However, 20% of underweight females wished to be lighter compared to only 5% of males. 
• Males who were normal weight (66%) also seemed to be the most satisfied. 
• Diet was the most frequently selected method for losing weight among females wishing to be considerably lighter (27%) while males were as likely to use exercise as diet as a strategy to lose weight. 

Men and boys in all groups (8, 13, 16, young adult) report discourse about their bodies when being lean and muscular is linked to being healthy and fit. Males tend to blame those who were overweight for being overweight. Males related being fat to lack of control and weakness of will power. Adolescents reported experiences of teasing about their body size. There is a prevalent pressure amongst peers to be slender and muscular. Adult men and teenagers explicitly linked having a well-toned, muscular body with feelings of confidence and power in social situations.

The way children estimate their body size is an important aspect of one's body image. One study of children 6 to 13 years old showed that they were accurate in estimating their body size. There were no gender, age, or ethnic differences. However, there was a slight bias for the younger children to report their bodies as too wide. Both genders wanted to be thinner. Females reported wanting to be increasingly thinner as they become older. Taller and heavier children with wealthy fathers wanted a thinner idealized body size. Taller, thinner children had less body size dissatisfaction. Children with a larger number of siblings who were one of the first-born were more dissatisfied with their body size.

There are, however, those with problems in accurately estimating their body size. Muscle dysmorphia involves an intense preoccupation with one's perceived lack of muscle size. It contributes to a problem called body dysmorphic disorder. This disorder includes symptoms like bodybuilding dependence, muscle checking, substance use, injury and muscle dissatisfaction. 

Feedback about one's body contributes greatly to one's view of their body image. One research questionnaire includes how feedback from a male's mother, father, best male friend, and best female friend can cause the male to gain weight, lose weight, and increase muscle tone. The tool takes into consideration certain types of feedback including: teasing, encouragement, and modeling. The feedback presumably causes the male to view his body in a certain way. He then takes action to gain or lose weight, and increase muscle tone.

The repercussions of poor body image stretch far. In one study, poor body image satisfaction was related to increased physical and verbal aggression. Also linked to poor satisfaction was the tendency for one to have been a bully and/or victim of bullying. Males with poor body image are prone to increased substance use. 

Males are increasingly changing their behaviors in order to achieve the ideal body type. Studies show they are aware at young ages. Statements, whether, blatant or subtle, can led to misperception of body image. As with sexuality and social relations, society is becoming increasing male gender sensitive to body image statements. Based on research, society is moving in the right direction.