muscle dysmorphia

[muhs-uhl dis-mawr-fee-uh]

noun

1. a mental disorder primarily affecting males, characterized by obsessions about a perceived lack of muscularity, leading to compulsive exercising, use of anabolic steroids, etc.

Word History and Origins

Origin of muscle dysmorphia¹

First recorded in 1995–2000

Example Sentences

Some sports nutritionists say it can be harmful - affecting hormone health, growth, and development, and could potentially lead to problems with eating disorders such as muscle dysmorphia - the idea your body is smaller and less muscly than it actually is.

From BBC

At one point, Kenan came across the term muscle dysmorphia in a bodybuilding forum and recognized his own experience.

From Salon

Also known as “reverse anorexia” or “bigorexia,” muscle dysmorphia is a pathologic preoccupation with muscularity.

From Salon

“The goal of exercise and physical activity is to improve your life and make you feel happier and healthier,” said Dr. Jason Nagata, an adolescent medicine specialist at the University of California, San Francisco who has studied muscle dysmorphia.

From Salon

Muscle dysmorphia was first classified in 1997 as an "underrecognized" condition that likely afflicted “substantial numbers of Americans.”

From Salon