A rising trend among teens is leaving both health experts and parents concerned. According to the 2024 Eating and Activity in Teens Study – a population-based analysis of diet, physical activity, and weight control behaviors among adolescents in Minnesota – teen boys and girls may be using protein shakes and other muscle-enhancing supplements to bulk up now more than ever. 
As reported by Med Page Today, the self-reported study involved nearly 2,800 students with an average age of 14. Approximately 53% were female, 46% were male, and 60% played at least one after-school sport.
The study found that 35% of adolescents who participated admitted to using protein powders and shakes, 6% admitted to using steroids, and nearly 11% reported using some other muscle-enhancing supplement. In addition, it was found that boys were more likely to engage in both of these behaviors than girls.
Researchers at the University of Minnesota in Minneapolis speculated why this trend has surfaced among young boys, especially considering body image issues are typically more common among girls.
“Boys’ body dissatisfaction has simultaneously increased, and research has demonstrated that exposure to images of extremely muscular models contributes to body dissatisfaction and muscle dysmorphia in young men,” they wrote. (more…)
