Men's Health 100 Hottest Women Of 2013

Men's Health magazine has been criticized for its relentless focus on developing the perfect body, which can increase men's anxieties about their bodies, making them more prone to eating disorders and compulsive over-exercising. Says The New York Times, "Since its debut in the late 1980's, the magazine has surpassed traditional men's books like Esquire and GQ by following the formula of best-selling women's magazines — by catering to men's anxieties about their bodies and sexual performance." Columbia Journalism Review stated the magazine "deals overwhelmingly with self-care and, in fact, exaggerates the possibilities for autonomous personal transformation." Zinczenko argues that the magazine works towards "overcoming the resistance of the 86-percent male audience to health as a subject" and redefining health as "inclusive of everything that could improve a man's life. Great sex. Great food. Endorphin-boosting exercise. Looking and feeling your best. We turned health into a concept every guy would want to embrace, starting with the healthy guy on the cover."
The magazine has also been criticized for reusing cover taglines. In response, Zinczenko explained that the majority of magazine sales—80 percent—are subscription and those covers vary from the newsstand version. Says Zinczenko, "Twenty years of Men's Health has certainly produced several lines that have proven themselves effective at newsstand, which makes up about 20 percent of our print run. We plan to keep using the most effective marketing tools to reach the largest market we possibly can." In July 2010, the magazine was criticized for including tiny credit lines on the cover rather than inside as a possible quid-pro-quo for advertisers. Zinczenko explained the lines were a service to readers, saving them the need to dig for the information, and that Men's Health had been including the lines across the board for over a year, regardless of advertiser status. A spokesperson for American Society of Magazine Editors confirmed that no rules were broken and the director for print strategy at a media planning and buying firm said the mention was "too small of a plug to get brands excited."
In 2004, Zinczenko began putting celebrities and athletes on the cover, such as David Beckham, Mark Wahlberg, Jason Statham, Gerard Butler, LeBron James, Josh Duhamel, Dwyane Wade, and with their shirts on—a big departure from the cover look of the 1990s. In 2004, Rodale filed suit against Men's Fitness for its redesign which makes it "a copycat version--one that is obviously intended to confuse consumers." In May 2006, the magazine published a limited edition color cover of Josh Holloway. In the first half of 2006, newsstand sales for Men's Health rose from 492,000 to 544,000 during a price increase from $3.95 to $4.50. In 2006, the magazine and the Rodale's other properties made extensive efforts to increase online content including adding video to each section, enlisting every major section editor to blog, and adding an online ad sales director.
In fall 2007, Men's Health launched the FitSchools initiative to combat childhood obesity. The magazine sends health, fitness, and nutrition experts to selected schools each year to remake the physical education programs and school lunch offerings. Gettys Middle School, in Easley, South Carolina, was the first FitSchool. In spring 2008, the magazine launched The FitSchools Foundation, a nonprofit organization with the mission to help end childhood obesity and get America's kids interested in healthy, active living.