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A new study has revealed a concerning link between men who watch porn and a serious health condition.
There are new reports that suggest there is a significant link between men that watch “problematic” pornography and the likelihood of them developing an eating disorder, according to research published in Body Image.
Researchers from the University of Haifa and The Max Stern Yezreel Valley College in Israel conducted the study, which was released earlier this month.
A total of 705 men participated in the study, ranging in age from 18 to 68, with the average age being 32.
Roughly 68 per cent of the men stated that they were heterosexual, with the rest identifying as a sexual minority group.
The men were asked to answer questions about their pornography consumption and whether they engaged in eating disorder behaviours, such as bingeing and purging.
They were also asked about their perceived realism of pornography, along with if they suffered from anxiety and/or depression.
Additionally, the men involved answered questions pertaining to eating disorder behaviours, such as measures of body comparison – where they compared their own body to those seen in pornography – and dissatisfaction with one’s own physique.
The study also measured their “problematic” pornography use, which was measured using the Problematic Pornography Consumption Scale-Short Version.
This contained statements such as ‘I feel that porn is an important part of my life’ and ‘I become stressed when something prevents me from watching porn’.
The participants answered using a seven-point scale ranging from one (never) to seven (all the time), with reference to the last six months.
The results demonstrated that regardless of their sexuality, males with higher levels of pornography consumption were more likely to compare their bodies to those seen in porn and hold a negative image of their own bodies.
It also showed that higher porn use resulted in higher instances of eating disorder behaviours, such as restricting, bingeing and purging food.
However, it must be noted that the research relied on self-reported results, which could be subject to social desirability effects.
The study also stated that problematic pornography use, in addition to eating disorder behaviours, could negatively impact various aspects of an individual’s functioning and wellbeing.
This includes sexual functioning problems, hypersexuality, and overall mental health.
“To reduce the risk of developing or worsening eating disorder symptoms, clinicians working with male clients should assess for problematic pornography use and body image concerns during therapy” the study authors wrote.
“Pornography use and eating disorders share common psychological aspects that manifest physically.
“Both pornography use and eating disorders are behaviours that can act as defence mechanisms to repress emotional pain, and both involve some level of shame, stigma, and secrecy.
“In addition, both are characterised by obsession, ritual, but most of all, low self-esteem and low body image.”
Roughly four per cent of men and one per cent of women in Australia reported to have an addiction to porn, according to the National Library of Medicine.
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