17 September 2009

Study links penis size to general health

by Kate Melville


"It's the locker room syndrome," said lead researcher Annabel Chan. "Men are more concerned about how their overall body size compares to the perceived male ideal than they are about how their size might impact on their sexual relations."

The study, which investigated the link between men's penis size, body image and mental health, found that men who indicated a larger-than-average penis size had higher self esteem, better general health functioning and higher overall body satisfaction than those reporting an average or below-average sized penis. The study was completed online by more than 700 men aged 18-76 from more than 40 countries.

Chan said the results provided fresh insights into how males perceive their bodies. "We have relatively little data about the body image of men because most of the research in this area concentrates on women. This survey starts to correct that," she said.

Other insights from the study include:

Chan said the findings regarding online dating were illuminating. "Men with poorer self-esteem and higher body dissatisfaction have a preference for online dating as initially, physical attractiveness does not deliver the primary impression," she explained. "Respondents who had more internet dating behaviors tended to be younger with a higher body mass index. They also displayed dissatisfaction with their penis size, lower self-esteem and higher drive for muscularity."

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Source: Victoria University