A study of 2,000 boys with an average age of 15 indicates that they agonise about their bodies as much as teenage girls do and envy David Beckham’s six-pack or Brad Pitt’s smile.

Just 13 per cent are happy with their bodies, while 26 per cent say that they would consider cosmetic surgery. The most sought-after procedures were liposuction, penis enlargement and a nose job.

Pat Spungin, the founder of raisingkids.co.uk, a parenting website, said that she was not surprised by the findings because society was becoming more preoccupied with looks.

“It’s a change because usually in the past this has not been an issue for young boys,” she said. “They’re more concentrated on what they can do than how they look. The main reason is we live in an image-obsessed society.

“Traditionally girls have always been concerned about their appearance. Young boys have not been evaluated on the way they look in the same way. We appraise men now as we do women.”

The survey, commissioned by sneak, a teenagers’ magazine, reveals the extent to which young boys’ self-confidence is tied to their body image and how concerned they are about impressing girls.

Around 84 per cent of the teenagers believed that a better body would improve their life. They said that pressure from girls (42 per cent), celebrity pictures (28 per cent) and comments from other boys (24 per cent) had fuelled their loss of self-esteem.

The findings also suggest that the growing market for male beauty products may be due in part to young boys taking more interest in their appearance. Nearly three quarters of those surveyed said that they would use moisturiser, fake tan and hair dye.

Dr Spungin said that the influence of football stars such as Beckham could explain the changing attitudes.

“In a previous generation he would have been lauded for his talent on the field. Now what he is doing is extending his brand to encompass his appearance,” she said. “I think young boys pick up on that. It’s not enough to be an ace footballer. You have to be a good-looking ace footballer.”

Michelle Garnett, the editor of sneak, said: “The boom in cosmetic surgery and the blanket coverage it receives has made it seem acceptable and desirable — despite the fact that the role models of teenage boys haven’t had procedures themselves, as far as we know.”

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