Gen Z Has A Dangerous Gym Obsession—And Can It Lead To Pain, Anxiety, And Even Hospitalization
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New Men's Health documentary Generation Flex explores a terrifying health trend among teenage boys.
Muscle dysmorphia is categorized by obsessive weight training, amongst other behaviors.
New legislation could help ban dangerous supplements for kids under 18.
There's a terrifying new health trend among teenage boys, according to Men's Health's new documentary Generation Flex: Bulking up, even to the point of ignoring dangerous side effects.
"What's big with boys right now is getting huge," the magazine writes. "Jacked arms. Swole chests. Chiseled abs. Spurred by intense pressure and unattainable body standards, boys are risking their physical and mental health to build muscle and lose weight."
There's a name for this condition: muscle dysmorphia, also known as "bigorexia." It involves weight training obsessively, taking supplements, skipping meals, withdrawing from friends and family, and having a preoccupation with gym-centric social media content. Risks can include disordered eating, extreme fatigue, malnutrition, and an increased risk for anxiety and depression.
The film, which runs for a little over an hour, follows four kids, all of whom are determined to get cut, over the course of a year. There's Eli, "a skateboarder who found himself spending two and a half hours in the gym every day." And there's Shahriar, who collapsed at school while taking diet pills and had to be taken to the hospital.
"There are some nights where I just wouldn't sleep," Shahriar says in the film's trailer. "Next thing I know, paramedics are around me."
Director Dorenna Newton also interviews a number of experts who are worried about the growing phenomenon, including a pediatrician specializing in eating disorders and a Harvard professor who studies boys, social media, and body image.
Luckily, there's hope on the horizon, including emerging legislation banning supplements for minors under 18 and a building awareness of muscle dysphoria.
Generation Flex is now available to stream on Men's Health, Amazon Prime Video, and Apple TV+.
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