Do my moobs look big in this?

A study has found four out of five men regularly talk to family and friends about their image concerns. Photo / Thinkstock

It's supposed to be women who spend hours agonising over their figures.

But in fact men are plagued by body hang-ups too, a study has found four out of five regularly talk to family and friends about their image concerns.

Their biggest worry was a beer belly, followed by lack of muscle tone and 'moobs', or male breasts.

More than 35 per cent said they would sacrifice a year of life if they could achieve their ideal weight or shape. More than half felt personally affected by negative body talk, even if it wasn't directed at them.

They reported feeling miserable and insecure on hearing comments about others such as "look at his beer belly" and "he's too fat to wear that", as it reinforced their own hang-ups.

Two-thirds of those surveyed were unhappy with their level of muscularity.

One in four said they felt too self-conscious to go to the gym, and nearly one in five said they felt fat every single day.

Researchers at the University of the West of England's Centre for Appearance Research in Bristol surveyed 400 men aged 18 to 70.

They say their findings challenge the traditional view that body image and exposure to pictures of air-brushed celebrities are mainly an issue for women or the young.

- DAILY MAIL