Telegraph.co.uk

Nearly half of men are worried about baring their bellies on the beach, research has shown.

And one in three has considered avoiding a beach holiday altogether because of how they look in their swimming trunks.

Seven in 10 men surveyed were worried about baring their body, with 47 per cent most concerned about revealing their belly.

Three-quarters of those questioned thought British men get just as nervous as women do when it comes to slipping on the swimwear.

The men deployed a number of tactics to cover up in the heat, with nearly a quarter (24 per cent) wearing shorts or a T-shirt even in the sea, 40 per cent dieting and around a third (36 per cent) stripping off only when in the water.

More than three-quarters of men (76 per cent) were jealous of toned, athletic men they spotted on the beach.

A third said they were most worried about how they look to the opposite sex, compared with just 13 per cent who worried about what other men would think.

Catherine Ambrozewicz, head of Tescodiets.com which carried out the research, said: “Every summer we hear plenty about women dreading having to wear a swimsuit but men clearly have many of the same issues.”

More than 2,000 men were questioned for the survey.

The body parts men are most worried about showing on the beach are:

Belly - 47 per cent

Chest - 22 per cent

Back - 15 per cent

Arms - 11 per cent

Legs - 13 per cent

Everything - 9 per cent

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