60% of adults have negative feelings about their bodies, despite notions of self-acceptance and body positivity being more prevalent than ever.
Feeling self-conscious of your body can become a major insecurity during intimacy, where we often feel most vulnerable - which can affect our enjoyment of sex.
So, which Brits have the most body confidence issues in the bedroom?
To find out whose self-esteem is most affected by their body image during intimacy, we surveyed 2,000 members of the general public.
Here’s how often people feel affected by body image:
- Sometimes (25.85%)
- Never (23.50%)
- Rarely (16%)
- Frequently (12.25%)
- N/A (10.95%)
- Always (7.85%)
- Prefer not to say (3.60%)
The age people are most and least affected
- Most – 16-24-year-olds – 59% Always, Frequently and Sometimes
- Least – 55+ - 46% Never and Rarely
Bedroom Body-Confidence: Men vs Women
The top responses from each gender when asked how often their weight or body image affects their self-confidence during intimacy:
| Answer | Men | Women |
|---|---|---|
| Never | 32% | 16% |
| Rarely | 20% | 12% |
| Sometimes | 24% | 28% |
| Frequently | 9% | 15% |
| Always | 5% | 11% |
| N/A | 7% | 15% |
| Prefer not to say | 4% | 4% |
Most Body-Confident UK Cities
These are the top cities with the highest percentage of residents who answered ‘never’ or rarely’ when asked how often their weight or body image affects their self-confidence during intimacy:
- Leeds (50.88%)
- Sheffield (45.21%)
- Manchester (44.44%)
- Brighton (43.94%)
- Norwich (42.26%)
Least Body-Confident UK Cities
- Southampton (29.47%)
- Belfast (31.03%)
- Plymouth (32.69%)
- Birmingham (34.03%)
- London (38.35%)
Most Body-Confident Occupations
These are the jobs with the highest percentage of respondents who answered ‘never’ or rarely’ when asked how often their weight or body image affects their self-confidence during intimacy:
- Farmer (100%)
- Marketing Executive (81%)
- Property Developer (80%)
- Firefighter and Police (67%)
- Plumber (63%)
Least Body-Confident Occupations
- Travel Agent (0%)
- Broadcasters (8%)
- Recruiter (25%)
- Shop Assistant (28%)
- Chef (31%)
Is your weight getting in the way of your sex life?
Our study revealed that younger generations are struggling to maintain a positive body image and feel comfortable during sexual intimacy.
Studies show that body consciousness can directly affect sexual satisfaction, so it’s important to address this with support from a psychosexual nurse or medical professional who can prescribe medication to address conditions like erectile dysfunction, which has been linked to poor body image.
For more information, contact one of our qualified doctors for a consultation.