HEALTH
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Gay men’s struggle with body image Last year, Stonewall published the results of its Gay Men’s Health survey, which revealed some surprising stats: Over half of gay and bisexual men have a normal body mass index (BMI) compared with under a third of men in general, while only 44% of gay and bisexual men are overweight or obese compared with 70% of men in general. However, the report also found that just 25% of gay and bisexual men meet the recommendation of 30 minutes or more of exercise, five times or more per week, compared with 39 per cent of men in general. 13% admitted to having had a problem with their weight and around 45% worried about the way they look. Body image can be one of the biggest influences over a gay man’s life. It can affect the type of clothes you wear, the food you eat, the friends you make and the relationships you form. The way you see yourself can even affect the sexual partners that you choose and the type of sex you have. If you would like to talk to someone or feel you need support the following services can help:
www.shutterstock.com/Mr Pics
Friend or Foe – a weekend workshop from PACE on self-esteem for people living in London. To book a place, visit www.gmfa.org.uk/gwk. London Lesbian & Gay Switchboard – Support 24 hours a day about love, life and safer sex. Call 0300 330 0630. For more info on sex, visit www.gmfa.org.uk/sex.
www.gmfa.org.uk
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