Children in the UK are being exposed to an increasing amount of "sexualised material" in the media which their parents do not always know about, says a Home Office study.

It says they are sold the idea they have to look "sexy" and "hot" and this leads young people to be more likely to have poor self-esteem, depression and eating disorders. It suggests there may be a link between increasing sexualisation and violence. And it calls for tougher regulation of sexual imagery, that lads' magazines be sold only to over-16s and that children learn images are routinely digitally altered.

David Webster, of the Association of Educational Psychologists, thinks the sexualisation of young people is probably happening at an earlier age and the media has a role to play. "You ask them [young people] 'what do you what they want to do?' and they say they want to be on a reality TV programme like Britain's Got Talent."

He says there is a difference in pressures facing boys and girls. "Boys will brag that they are sexually active even when they aren't and that puts pressures on other boys. For girls it is more about being glamorous."

The report says children and young people need to understand a magazine is "selling a fantasy".