British men are becoming as body conscious as women, with beer bellies no longer considered manly, and 30 percent saying they hate their stomachs.

ADVERTISEMENT

A phone poll of 500 men for Norwich Union Healthcare found men feel pressured to measure up physically to their sporting heroes, with soccer star David Beckham being cited as the ideal physique.

One-quarter of the men surveyed said they had "issues" with their entire body, the BBC reported.

"Men clearly feel pressure from all sides to look good and this is resulting in them becoming very critical of their own bodies," said Norwich Union Healthcare spokesman Dr. Doug Wright.

The vanity also appeared to feed dishonesty, with one-quarter saying they lied to their partners or friends about how often they exercise, one third said they exaggerate how much they can lift, while one-in-five said they lie about their weight.