Perceptions of body image and its influence on cultural practices within a gym setting among a young male population

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to examine young male's perceptions of body image and their bodybuilding practice within a gym setting. Research on male body images suggests that more young men are turning towards negative health behaviours such as consuming diet pills, using anabolic steroids, and are internalising unrealistic media representations of an ideal male body. Using an ethnographic research method approach (i.e. interviews, observations and field notes), this study explored eleven young males' perceptions of body image and their bodybuilding practice within a gym setting. Drawing on Bourdieu's concepts of capital, this study adds to the understanding of how young males invest and accumulate their cultural, social, economic and symbolic capital in their bodybuilding practices. Furthermore, Connell's concept of masculinity was also employed to elucidate meaning to the approaches the young males performed in the gym. Implications for developing positive young male's body image and satisfaction and in relation to a critical inquiry approach to youth health are discussed.

Date of Award	2018
Original language	English