essay about social media body image

The Impact of Social Media on Body Image, Eating, and Health

Emerging research suggests social media may be more harmful than we realize..

Posted February 8, 2022 | Reviewed by Hara Estroff Marano

• Social media use is on the rise, with over 70 percent of Americans regularly online.
• Social media and dating apps are potentially harmful to users, both emotionally and physically.
• Researchers have found negative effects on body image, eating behavior, mood, and physical health.
• Future research is required to better understand current findings and to determine how to safeguard healthy use of social media..

Social media captivates like nothing else, drawing us into a kaleidoscope of digitally mediated relationships, information and disinformation, and an endless experience of virtual window shopping. We don't always know what we are buying, however.

We’ve embarked on a vast social experiment without giving much thought to how it will play out. The scope of the problem is hard to overstate—between 2005 and 2021, as reported by the Pew Research Center, the average number of Americans regularly using social media has gone from 5 percent to over 70 percent, and rising.

Mirror, Mirror

As the science-fiction quality of the metaverse (described by Neal Stephenson in his classic 1992 novel Snow Crash ) becomes a reality, there is no question that what it means to be human is shifting, with uncertainty, promise, and peril.

More than anything, social media has become a mirror through which we catch a glimpse of ourselves, literally through selfies and photos taken by others, and through how we react to one another, through our experience of online connectedness both on major social media platforms as well as through dating apps and live interactive online events—and through the prospect of fully immersive experiences in virtual reality, within which we can take on any identity we wish in a world freed from the laws of physics and logic.

Researchers, too, have been paying attention to social media, how the digital migration to living online more than in the real world is affecting people. From concerns that we are becoming more pathologically narcissistic , immersed in our smartphone realities where we present a sugar-coated version of ourselves while comparing ourselves to impossibly perfect, processed images of others and their glamorous lives, to getting ground down through the virtual meat market of online dating, to losing critical attachment skills required for intimate relationships, to the potential effect on physical health, to the effects on political systems and global stability, the need to understand what social media is doing to us is more pressing now than ever before.

With the above in mind, four recent studies highlight emerging correlations between social media and dating app use and health outcomes.

Mathew and colleagues (2022) sought to understand how social media use may lead to body dissatisfaction. Following a group of over 6,000 adults (about 60 percent women, average age in their early 50s, ranging from 19-92 years old) and using standardized measures, researchers asked participants about social media use, body dissatisfaction, body mass index (BMI), and a range of demographic variables. They followed them over the course of several years, starting in 2015, to determine whether social media use predicted future body dissatisfaction.

They found that increased social media use predicted body dissatisfaction one year later, and body dissatisfaction also predicted greater social media use, with a small but significant effect size. There were differences between men and women: Social media use and body dissatisfaction worked both ways for women, but for men, while body satisfaction predicted social media use, the reverse was not true in this sample. Being younger, female, and having a higher BMI were associated with greater body image dissatisfaction.

Portingalea and colleagues focused on how women’s dating app use affected daily mood, body image, and eating behavior. Nearly 300 women ranging in age from 18 to 48 participated in this study, completing a baseline survey of lifetime dating app use, partner preference with a focus on whether they sought idealized or realistic partners in terms of physical traits, and the degree of their own rejection sensitivity related to looks. Researchers followed them with a smartphone-based assessment daily for one week, rating daily experiences of body dissatisfaction, disordered eating urges (e.g. to binge eat), and mood.

One-third of participants showed a correlation between lifetime dating app use and both disordered eating urges and negative mood. Neither idealized partner preference nor rejection sensitivity were correlated with eating or mood in this study.

Carter and colleagues looked at whether the coherence of sense of self, known as “ self-concept clarity”, influenced social media users to compare themselves with online depictions of idealized slender bodies. Near 500 women aged 18 to 25 participated in this study, completing a measure of self-concept clarity and body image dissatisfaction, rating experimental images showing either idealized bodies or neutral comparisons.

Participants with lower self-concept clarity compared themselves more with idealized body images and consequently reported greater body image dissatisfaction. The findings suggest that having a less well-developed sense of self increases the risk of negative reactions when browsing social media.

Lee and colleagues recruited 251 undergraduate students for a landmark early study looking at how physical health may be affected by the stress associated with social media use. In addition to demographic information, participants completed a composite measure of social media use, focusing on Snapchat, Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook, to estimate total social media load.

The Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ15) was used for somatic symptoms (such as headache, body aches, and chest pain), as well as depression . Participants' use of health care was assessed based on how many times they’d visited a health center or physician’s office, or otherwise sought medical care for a medical condition, in the prior three months. Data were collected before the COVID-19 pandemic. Finally, participants’ blood was drawn and tested for C-reactive protein (CRP), a common marker of inflammation.

They found that greater social media use was associated with increased somatic symptoms, regardless of depression symptoms. Greater social media use was associated with more healthcare visits, also independent of depression. Finally, controlling for other factors (demographics, birth control use, depression, healthcare use), CRP levels were significantly elevated among those reporting greater social media use.

A Call to Action?

Emerging research on social media use is concerning. Social media use is associated with negative psychological and general health outcomes, ranging from body-image dissatisfaction, problematic eating, greater healthcare utilization for physical symptoms, and potential negative effects on physiology (e.g. increased inflammatory blood markers). The observation that low self-concept clarity leaves users vulnerable to body-image dissatisfaction is noteworthy; low self-concept clarity has also been associated with difficulty leaving unsatisfying relationships .

Future research is needed to replicate or refute these findings, to map out the exact mechanisms by which social media may adversely impact health, and to work out ways in which social media may be useful and even help improve physical and emotional health.

Social media and internet dating companies interested in the public good can use these data to ensure that the tools they provide are not causing harm—and preferably to improve users' health. As the public becomes more aware of the pros and cons of social media use, market forces are likely to increase the demand for companies to work on behalf of customers while also looking to the bottom line.

As families and individuals make choices about social media, it is of critical importance that they be armed with up-to-date information about the impact of such behavior on health and well-being. For parents, this research adds to the growing body of cautionary information and is a call to get educated and manage social media immersion. For healthcare providers, assessing patients for social media use is a key element of treatment planning.

This research shows that it’s not only younger folks who are at risk from social media but also adults across the lifespan. There's no denying that social media and all the other promises of evolving information technology and machine learning hold great potential to improve quality of life, but only if we slow down and study the effect of these spectacular new tools and learn to use them wisely.

Mathew D. Marques, Susan J. Paxton, Siân A. McLean, Hannah K. Jarman, Chris G. Sibley, A prospective examination of relationships between social media use and body dissatisfaction in a representative sample of adults, Body Image, Volume 40, 2022, Pages 1-11, ISSN 1740-1445, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bodyim.2021.10.008 .

Jade Portingale, Matthew Fuller-Tyszkiewicz, Shanshan Liu, Sarah Eddy, Xinyue Liu, Sarah Giles, Isabel Krug, Love me Tinder: The effects of women’s lifetime dating app use on daily body dissatisfaction, disordered eating urges, and negative mood, Body Image, Volume 40, 2022, Pages 310-321, ISSN 1740-1445, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bodyim.2022.01.005 .

David S. Lee, Tao Jiang, Jennifer Crocker, and Baldwin M. Way.Cyberpsychology, Behavior, and Social Networking.ahead of print http://doi.org/10.1089/cyber.2021.0188

Jeanne J. Carter, Lenny R. Vartanian, Self-concept clarity and appearance-based social comparison to idealized bodies, Body Image, Volume 40, 2022, Pages 124-130, ISSN 1740-1445, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bodyim.2021.12.001 .

Grant Hilary Brenner, M.D., a psychiatrist and psychoanalyst, helps adults with mood and anxiety conditions, and works on many levels to help unleash their full capacities and live and love well.

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What Students Are Saying About How Social Media Affects Their Body Image

A recent article put a spotlight on how social media can fuel body dysmorphia in boys. We asked teenagers how these apps make them feel about the way they look.

By The Learning Network

Please note: This post is part of The Learning Network’s ongoing Current Events Conversation feature in which we invite students to react to the news via our daily writing prompts and publish a selection of their comments each week.

In “ What Is ‘Bigorexia’? ” Alex Hawgood reports on a social media landscape dominated by muscle-building content and fitness influencers, and how it affects the way increasing numbers of teenage boys feel about their own bodies.

As we regularly do when The Times writes about an issue that touches the lives of young people, we used our daily Student Opinion forum to ask teenagers to share their perspectives on social media and body image.

Many students said that social media has been “detrimental” to the way they feel about their looks, and that even though they are aware it doesn’t show the full picture, they still struggle not to compare themselves to the people they see online. They grappled, too, with the heart of the article: male body image issues and why boys and men might have a harder time talking about them. And others shared that sometimes social media can be a positive influence on their health, motivating them to make changes or just accept their bodies the way they are.

Thank you to all those from around the world who joined the conversation this week, including teenagers from Great Neck, N.Y.; Lake Travis High School in Austin, Texas; and Taiwan .

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Adolescents’ Social Media Use and Body Image

Recent revelations about Meta’s internal research findings have raised new questions about the role of social media in adolescents’ body image and mental health, particularly for girls (Wall Street Journal 2021). High-profile debates have raged about the potential mental health harms of social media (SM), contributing to a recent series of congressional hearings and legislative proposals (Anon 2022). Meanwhile, academics have debated whether time spent on SM contributes to adolescent mental health and wellbeing (Granic et al. 2020; Hamilton et al. 2022; Odgers and Jensen 2020; Orben 2020). In a recent theoretical paper, my colleagues and I highlighted the importance of moving beyond a focus on screen-time, and toward a nuanced perspective on specific SM experiences that may promote vs. hinder positive development (Hamilton et al. 2022). Most recently, we proposed a developmental–sociocultural theoretical framework for how and why specific SM behaviors may increase adolescent girls’ body image concerns (Choukas-Bradley et al. 2022). These perspectives dovetail with sociocultural and developmental perspectives on adolescent SM use, which highlight the need to move beyond one-size-fits-all approaches that center screen-time (Ito et al. 2020).

In this essay, I provide an overview of the state of sociocultural and developmental literature on adolescents’ SM use and body image. First, I discuss key theoretical perspectives regarding developmental and sociocultural influences on adolescents’ body image. Next, I introduce the “perfect storm” framework, a developmental–sociocultural framework for social media’s role in adolescents’ body image and mental health. Subsequently, I provide an overview of the state of the empirical literature on SM use and body image, with sections on social comparisons, the internalization of beauty standards, the “body-positive” movement, appearance-related SM consciousness, selfie behaviors, and individual differences based on identity and social–cognitive factors. Finally, I discuss implications and conclusions.

Adolescent Body Image: Overview and Key Theories

The majority of adolescents experience body image concerns, with rates especially high among girls (Daniels et al. 2020; Neumark-Sztainer et al. 2006). These concerns can include body dissatisfaction and weight/shape concerns (Thompson et al. 1999), body shame (McKinley and Hyde 1996), and self-objectification (Fredrickson and Roberts 1997). A recent nationally representative sample of U.S. youth aged 14-24 found that weight/shape concerns were elevated during the COVID-19 pandemic, with 40% of participants reporting having adopted behaviors aimed at controlling weight and/or shape during the pandemic (Schmid et al. 2022). Importantly, body image concerns have been linked to a broad range of problems that can interfere with adolescents’ wellbeing, including low self-esteem and self-worth, anxiety, disordered eating, depressive symptoms, and academic interference (Biro et al. 2006; Lewis-Smith et al. 2020; Paxton et al. 2006; Stice and Bearman 2001; Vannucci and Ohannessian 2018; Yanover and Thompson 2008). In this section, I discuss key sociocultural and developmental theories of body image.

Sociocultural Theories of Body Image

Since the 1990s, three key sociocultural theories have guided research on how media influences body image. These theories were developed to address mass media (e.g., television, magazines) before the advent of modern SM. First, the tripartite influence model proposed that peers, family, and the media transmit messages about cultural beauty standards, leading to social comparisons and internalization of problematic beauty ideals (Thompson et al. 1999). For example, imagine an adolescent girl who sees advertisements promoting weight-loss products, hears her mother discussing a desire to lose weight, and compares herself to photos of celebrities and popular peers who are thin. This adolescent is likely to internalize the “thin ideal” – the idea that thinness is desirable and important for women to attain. Social comparisons and internalization of unrealistic beauty standards can increase individuals’ perceived discrepancies between their ideal and real bodies, contributing to body dissatisfaction (Thompson et al. 1999). For example, an adolescent who internalizes the “thin ideal,” and who believes their body does not match this ideal, is likely to feel dissatisfied with their body.

Second, objectification theory proposed that in a society that sexually objectifies girls and women, girls and women learn to view themselves as if from a third-person perspective—in other words, to engage in self-objectification (Fredrickson and Roberts 1997). Girls who are high in self-objectification, and the closely related construct of objectified body consciousness, are more likely to view their self-worth as being based primarily on how they look, and to prioritize how they look over how they feel – which has been linked body dissatisfaction, body shame, and a range of mental health concerns (Daniels et al. 2020; Fredrickson and Roberts 1997; McKinley and Hyde 1996). Third, uses and gratifications theory emphasizes the agency of individuals in seeking out specific media content (Rubin 1994), such that adolescents’ preexisting tendencies and needs lead them to seek out specific media content. For example, an adolescent with body image interests or concerns may seek out beauty-related content, whereas adolescents who do not spend as much time thinking about their bodies will be less likely to search for body-related content. Since these theories were first published, dozens of empirical studies have supported their key tenets (Daniels et al. 2020; Moradi and Huang 2008). However, these traditional theories did not emphasize the developmental processes that are unique to adolescence.

Developmental Theories of Adolescent Body Image

Several key developmental processes contribute to heightened risk for body image concerns during adolescence. First, pubertal changes lead to dramatic alterations in weight and shape, which bring many adolescents further from sociocultural body ideals. For example, cisgender girls tend to gain weight during puberty, resulting in a greater discrepancy between their real and ideal bodies (Klump 2013; Markey 2010). Additionally, my research team’s qualitative interviews with transgender adolescents shed light on how pubertal development can lead to increased body dissatisfaction, as one’s body develops secondary sex characteristics that are misaligned with one’s gender identity (Romito et al. 2021). In contrast to cisgender girls and transgender youth, cisgender boys may find that the physical changes associated with puberty—particularly increases in muscle mass—may bring them closer to current cultural beauty standards for men; however, boys often experience body dissatisfaction due to other developmental and sociocultural factors discussed below, and may engage in excessive muscle-building behaviors in an effort to conform to the male muscular ideal (Frederick et al. 2022).

Second, during adolescence, youth are acutely attuned to their peers’ behaviors and attitudes, susceptible to peer influences, and concerned about their status among peers (Brechwald and Prinstein 2011; Giletta et al. 2021). Sensitivity to social reward peaks during adolescence, such that positive feedback from peers, or even the mere presence of peers, can activate neural responses associated with reward (Kilford et al. 2016; Sherman et al. 2016). This is in part due to rapid changes in the brain’s socioaffective circuitry during pubertal development, which have been linked to elevated emotional reactivity and social sensitivity (Somerville 2013). Furthermore, adolescents experience a social-cognitive phenomenon known as the imaginary audience, in which they believe they are the unique focus of others’ attention (Elkind 1967). In the context of these biopsychosocial changes, an “appearance culture” develops, in which peers frequently discuss physical attractiveness and ascribe status to those deemed attractive (Jones 2001; Mayeux and Kleiser 2020). The desire to engage in impression management and to present oneself favorably does not end with adolescence (Leary 1996; Schlenker and Pontari 2000), but during the adolescent period, this human drive may intersect with the peer appearance culture and heightened egocentrism to explain adolescents’ uniquely strong focus on physical appearance (Choukas-Bradley et al. 2022).

Some—but not all—of these phenomena are especially relevant for girls. Girls are socialized to prioritize their physical appearance (Daniels et al. 2020). They are bombarded with messages about the importance of being pretty, sexually attractive, and thin. Objectification theory was developed to address shared psychological experiences among women and girls (Fredrickson and Roberts 1997). Overall, research with cisgender adolescents indicates that girls are more likely than boys to report appearance-contingent self-worth (Burwell and Shirk 2009) and girls’ physical attractiveness is especially salient for their social status among peers (Mayeux and Kleiser 2020).

“The Perfect Storm”? A Developmental–Sociocultural Framework for Social Media’s Role in Adolescent Girls’ Body Image and Mental Health

The developmental and sociocultural theories discussed thus far in this section can help explain why body image concerns have long been common among adolescents, and especially girls. How does SM intersect with these factors? This is the core question my colleagues and I addressed in our developmental–sociocultural theoretical framework for the role of SM in adolescent girls’ body image concerns (Choukas-Bradley et al. 2022). We proposed that the features of SM intersect with the broader developmental and sociocultural factors discussed above, to create the “perfect storm” for exacerbating some girls’ body image concerns (see Figure 2.1). We focused specifically on girls, but here we address the state of the literature for adolescents of all genders. Sociocultural and developmental approaches to youth technology engagement encourage moving beyond one-size-fits-all theories and a focus on time spent using SM, and toward studying the specific forms of SM engagement that may exacerbate or protect against mental health risks among different adolescents (Ito et al. 2020). The “perfect storm” framework focuses on specific, subjective SM experiences that are affected by gender and individual differences.

Figure 2.1 The “Perfect Storm” Developmental–Sociocultural Framework of Social Media Use and Body Image Concerns, Adapted from the version first published in Choukas-Bradley et al. (2022) in Clinical Child and Family Psychology Review (Springer).

State of the Literature: A Summary of Empirical Research on Adolescents’ Social Media Use and Body Image

Systematic reviews indicate that heightened exposure to appearance-focused SM sites is associated with greater body dissatisfaction – covering a broad range of methods and both adolescent and adult samples, with predominantly female participants (de Valle et al. 2021; Fioravanti et al. 2022; Holland and Tiggemann 2016; Saiphoo and Vahedi 2019). In this section, I provide an overview of the state of the literature in several research areas related to specific SM experiences: social comparison, the internalization of beauty standards, appearance-related social media consciousness, selfie behaviors, and other individual differences based on identity and social-cognitive factors.

Social Comparisons on Social Media

Social comparison is one of the primary ways through which SM use affects body image (Rodgers 2016). On highly visual SM sites, many adolescents are exposed to curated, edited, and idealized images of peers, celebrities, and a novel SM-specific reference group, influencers —those who gather large followings based on their SM presence (Choukas-Bradley et al. 2022). A recent systematic review of experimental studies found social comparisons related to physical appearance to play an important role in links between SM use and body image, although the majority of these studies focused on adults (Fioravanti et al. 2022). Most research focused on adolescents’ appearance-related social comparisons on SM has relied on cross-sectional, non-experimental studies. Consistent with experimental work with adults (Fioravanti et al. 2022), cross-sectional studies with adolescents have also found social comparison to play an important role in the link between appearance-related SM use and body dissatisfaction across many nations (Chang et al. 2019; Jarman et al. 2021a; Roberts et al. 2022; Rodgers et al. 2020; Ryding and Kuss 2020; Scully et al. 2020; Yang et al. 2020). An important methodological note is that cross-sectional, non-experimental studies cannot determine causality or temporal precedence. For example, these study designs cannot rule out the possibility that adolescents who initially have higher social comparison tendencies are more likely to seek out appearance-related SM content (consistent with uses and gratifications theory; Rubin 1994).

Several aspects of SM may help explain the role of social comparison. First, social comparisons with SM images of friends, peers, influencers, and celebrities can trigger body dissatisfaction because these images are often carefully selected and edited with filters, blemish-correctors, and reshaping/resizing tools, in order to maximize attractiveness (Choukas-Bradley et al. 2022; Chua and Chang 2016; Scully et al. 2020). For example, in an experimental study conducted in the Netherlands, girls exposed to edited, reshaped/resized SM images of young women reported worse body image than those exposed to unedited photos, but only among girls with high social comparison tendencies (Kleemans et al. 2018). Second, adolescents’ SM feeds blend images of peers, celebrities, and influencers, blurring the lines among various sources of social comparison (Johnson et al. 2019). Many influencers are young women who become famous by demonstrating beauty routines or simply by posting attractive photos. The effects of SM influencer imagery exposure on body image have thus far primarily been examined among young adult women, with experimental studies finding higher negative mood and body dissatisfaction among those exposed to this imagery (Lowe-Calverley and Grieve 2021; McComb and Mills 2021). Third, researchers have examined the effects of exposure to SM content that specifically promotes thinness or fitness (i.e., “thinspiration” and “fitspiration” content), which has been linked to body dissatisfaction among young women in lab studies (Robinson et al. 2017; Rounds and Stutts 2020), likely due to upward social comparison processes, as well as internalization of beauty ideals (Rodgers 2016).

Social Media Use and the Internalization of Beauty Standards

As discussed earlier, traditional theories regarding body image focused on both social comparisons and the internalization of beauty ideals, such as the “thin ideal.” Exposure to thin-ideal SM imagery has been found to predict body dissatisfaction in recent experiments with adolescent girls and young adult women (Fioravanti et al. 2022), but beauty standards have also substantially evolved. Boys and men are now socialized to pursue body ideals that are both lean and muscular, whereas girls and women face beauty ideals that are increasingly complex: toned and fit, with a particular “slim-thick” body shape characterized by large buttocks, breasts, and thighs, with a small waist and flat stomach (Frederick et al. 2022; Gültzow et al. 2020; McComb and Mills 2022; Roberts et al. 2022). Recent experimental research indicates that exposure to “Fitspiration” content and/or general muscular imagery through SM increases body dissatisfaction among young adult men and women (Barron et al. 2021; Rounds and Stutts 2020), while self-report studies have documented that muscular ideal internalization mediates the link between SM use and body dissatisfaction among adolescent and young adult men and women (Fatt et al. 2019; Skowronski et al. 2021). The slim-thick body type is a newer area of research focus. McComb and Mills recently conducted an experiment with female Canadian undergraduates, finding that comparisons with slim-thick SM imagery predicted more weight and appearance dissatisfaction than comparisons with thin-ideal images (McComb and Mills 2022). In my team’s recent (not yet published) qualitative interviews with U.S. Black young women, several participants discussed the cultural appropriation of Black women’s bodies and beauty standards in the mainstreaming of this slim-thick beauty ideal (Ladd et al. 2022).

The “Body-Positive” Movement

Importantly, the “body-positive” movement has received extensive public and research attention in recent years. This movement ostensibly aims to increase body acceptance through representation of a diverse range of bodies and broadened definitions of beauty (Lazuka et al. 2020). Overall, findings are mixed regarding the effects of exposure to body-positive content on SM. Some experimental studies with young women have found exposure to such images and captions to be more positive than exposure to thin-ideal or “fitspiration” posts (Cohen et al. 2019; Davies et al. 2020). On the other hand, theoretical and empirical work suggest that the movement may exacerbate the focus on physical appearance, reassert the dominance of White thin bodies, and increase self-objectification (Choukas-Bradley et al. 2022; Cohen et al. 2020; Vendemia et al. 2021). Importantly, supporting uses and gratifications theory, a large study of Czech adolescent girls and boys suggested that body-positive online content may be associated with positive body image only among those who deliberately seek it out (Kvardova et al. 2022). A recent review of studies of body-positive media concluded that non-appearance focused media may be most promotive of body satisfaction (Rodgers et al. 2021).

Appearance-Related Social Media Consciousness & Selfie Behaviors

Is the “imaginary audience” still imaginary in a world where any moment can be photographed and broadcast to a huge audience? How common is it for adolescents to feel worried about their appearance on SM? Might they think about the SM audience even when they are offline? These are the questions that have driven my work related to appearance-related social media consciousness (ASMC), colloquially known as being “camera-ready” (Choukas-Bradley et al. 2019). My colleagues and I first introduced the construct when publishing results from a preliminary study with U.S. young adult women (Choukas-Bradley et al. 2019), and we subsequently developed and validated the Appearance-Related Social Media Consciousness Scale with samples of adolescents (Choukas-Bradley et al. 2020) and young adults (Maheux et al. 2022b). Examples of ASMC experiences include imagining how photos will look on SM, imagining one’s body on SM even when alone, looking at SM photos again and again, and editing photos to make oneself look better (Choukas-Bradley et al. 2020).

Our research indicates that individual differences in ASMC have relevance to both body image and mental health: higher levels of ASMC have been linked with adolescents’ and young adults’ body image concerns and mental health symptoms in several samples, with new research underway (Choukas-Bradley et al. 2020; Maheux et al. 2022b). One key takeaway point is that girls report higher average ASMC scores than boys. A second key finding is that higher ASMC is associated with higher depressive symptoms among both girls and boys, both concurrently and longitudinally. Third, we have thus far found that ASMC precedes heightened depressive symptoms, rather than developing in response to depressive symptoms (Maheux et al. 2022a). We have recently collected ASMC data among transgender and nonbinary youth (not yet published); understanding how SM affects body image among gender minority adolescents is an important area for future research.

Beyond our lab’s work on ASMC, many other studies have documented connections between appearance-related SM use and preoccupation with one’s appearance. For instance, Zimmer-Gembeck and colleagues developed the Social Media Appearance Preoccupation Scale (SMAPS), consisting of items reflecting online self-presentation, appearance-related activity online, and appearance comparison, and found scores to be associated with a range of indicators of emotional adjustment, appearance concerns, and interpersonal behaviors among Australian adolescent boys and girls (Zimmer-Gembeck et al. 2021). Consistent with our work on ASMC, mean SMAPS scores were higher among girls (Zimmer-Gembeck et al. 2021). Similarly, and consistent with uses and gratifications theory (Rubin 1994), researchers recently examined motivations to engage in SM use, and found that appearance feedback motivations were associated with lower body satisfaction among Australian girls and boys (Jarman et al. 2021b).

Selfie Behaviors

Other research suggests that simply taking or editing selfies may increase an objectified view of the self. For example, a lab-based study with U.S. undergraduate men and women found the simple act of taking a selfie to increase state self-objectification (Salomon and Brown 2020). Additionally, studies have linked adolescents’ SM use with traditional measures of self-objectification (Skowronski et al. 2020; Vandenbosch and Eggermont 2016), and a study of adolescent girls in China found higher selfie-posting to be linked to higher levels of self-objectification (Zheng et al. 2019). Several studies have found selfie editing behaviors to be especially predictive of body image concerns (Tiggemann et al. 2020; Wick and Keel 2020).

Importantly, the visual nature of SM may intersect with its quantifiable peer feedback metrics to exacerbate the focus on selfies. For example, research in Australia and the U.S. indicates that greater investment in SM photos and their feedback is associated with adolescents’ body esteem and disordered eating (Lonergan et al. 2020; Nesi, Choukas-Bradley, et al. 2021). In perhaps the most extreme example of how appearance-related SM use can contribute to an objectified self-concept, qualitative studies from the U.S., Singapore, and Germany highlight a complex set of strategies adolescent girls use to manage their SM presence or “brand” – including “meticulous backstage planning” (Chua & Chang 2016, p. 193) and a “production process” (Zillich & Riesmeyer 2021, p. 7) in which they scrutinize beauty norms, engage in posing and selfie-taking rituals, and extensively edit photos before posting at high-traffic times and requesting peer feedback (Chua and Chang 2016; Yau and Reich 2019; Zillich and Riesmeyer 2021).

Other Individual Differences Based on Identity and Social-Cognitive Factors

The differential susceptibility to media effects model addressed media effects broadly, proposing that individual users differ in their susceptibility to media effects (Valkenburg and Peter 2013). The research reviewed in the prior sections highlights several social-cognitive tendencies on which individual adolescents differ – social comparison, internalization of beauty norms, and appearance-related SM consciousness – all of which reflect dispositional factors in social context, and which are developmentally salient during adolescence. Higher individual levels of each of these factors have been linked to increased body image concerns in the context of SM use. Other intrapersonal factors have also been documented as moderators of associations between appearance-focused SM use and body image concerns: investment in appearance, imaginary audience ideation, and appearance perfectionism have all been found to strengthen these associations (Etherson et al. 2022; Lonergan et al. 2020; McComb and Mills 2022; Nesi, Choukas-Bradley, et al. 2021; Zheng et al. 2019).

We have discussed gender throughout this paper as an important identity characteristic that affects SM experiences and body image outcomes. But what about the intersection of race and gender? A critically important area for future research concerns a more thorough and nuanced exploration of the role of race in SM effects on body image. The body image literature has vastly overrepresented White women and Eurocentric beauty standards, and the majority of studies discussed in this paper relied on primarily White female samples from the Global North. As I discuss in the recent “perfect storm” theoretical paper, little is known about how SM may affect the transmission and internalization of beauty standards among girls of color. Consistent with uses and gratifications theory (Rubin 1994) and the co-construction model of adolescents’ online behavior (Subrahmanyam and Šmahel 2011), girls of color may curate their feeds to center images of Black women and girls, leading to exposure to more culturally relevant imagery than is featured in mass media contexts. In our research team’s recent qualitative interview work (unpublished data), Black young women described both positive and negative implications of using appearance-related SM, including the increased representation of Black women, paired with cultural appropriation of Black women’s body features and beauty standards (Ladd et al. 2022).

Future Directions and Implications

Body image has traditionally been viewed as a niche area of psychological science, yet body image is central to adolescent wellbeing, and poor body image is associated with a broad range of mental health struggles. I offer the following recommendations for researchers, clinicians, and policymakers:

Capitalizing on recent public attention toward the role of SM in adolescent girls’ body image concerns, now is the time for policymakers to focus on pushing for regulation of SM content algorithms, and for tech companies’ transparency regarding tech design practices and research findings (Anon 2022; Holdheim 2022; U.S. Surgeon General 2021).

Greater investment is needed to support both basic science research, and prevention programming, related to SM influences on body image concerns. More research is especially needed that focuses on how sociodemographic identities affect specific uses of SM, as well as the implications for wellbeing—with special attention to race, ethnicity, gender identity, sexual orientation, socioeconomic status, and their intersections.

Given the current state of the literature, I recommend that clinicians assess for how adolescents spend time on SM—not their overall screen-time. Recommending abstention from SM use is not only unrealistic, but it would likely be developmentally maladaptive for many adolescents as well. Many SM experiences promote positive expression and meaningful connections (Hamilton et al. 2022). Thoughtful discussions about how to increase values-aligned SM use, rather than encouraging overall reductions in use, may be more palatable to adolescents and more likely to contribute to behavior change.

Given recent evidence of the promise of single-session interventions for body image concerns (Schleider et al.,2023; Smith et al. 2023), investment in the development and dissemination of scalable, evidence-based interventions is important and likely to be fruitful. Moreover, evidence for the efficacy of brief classroom-based interventions further points to the benefits of scalable programs for SM use and body image (Bell et al. 2022; Gordon et al. 2021; Kurz et al. 2022).

Conclusions

This developmental-sociocultural perspective on SM and body image focused on specific, subjective experiences that differ across adolescents, moving beyond a one-size-fits-all approach (Ito et al. 2020). I provided an overview of the theoretical and empirical state of the literature on SM use and adolescent body image. Social media apps and trends tend to develop more quickly than research can keep apace, but the perfect storm framework provides a nuanced, humanistic blueprint for future inquiry into how SM affects body image.

Acknowledgements

I thank Savannah R. Roberts, Anne J. Maheux, Brianna A. Ladd, and Jacqueline Nesi, with whom I collaborated on prior book chapters and papers that helped shape my thinking for the current piece.

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The Impact of Social Media on Body Image Perception and Eating Disorders

• Jiakun Wang Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu 611137, China

This essay discusses the negative impact of social media on body image and the promotion of healthier attitudes towards food and body diversity. It explores the sociocultural and psychological factors that contribute to susceptibility to social media influence, such as self-esteem, body image dissatisfaction, the need for social approval, perfectionism, and social comparison orientation. Peer pressure and social comparison are identified as significant influences on social media platforms. Potential solutions and interventions are proposed, including media literacy education, promoting body positivity and diversity, encouraging responsible social media use, developing evidence-based resources, fostering a supportive online community, collaborating with influencers and content creators, and encouraging individuals to seek professional help. By addressing these issues, we can work towards mitigating the negative impact of social media on body image and promoting healthier attitudes towards food and body diversity.

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Reducing social media use significantly improves body image in teens, young adults

• Social Media and Internet

Participants saw results in weeks, study says

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• Reducing Social Media Use Improves Appearance and Weight Esteem in Youth With Emotional Distress (PDF, 951KB)

Washington — Teens and young adults who reduced their social media use by 50% for just a few weeks saw significant improvement in how they felt about both their weight and their overall appearance compared with peers who maintained consistent levels of social media use, according to research published by the American Psychological Association.

“Adolescence is a vulnerable period for the development of body image issues, eating disorders and mental illness,” said lead author Gary Goldfield, PhD, of Children’s Hospital of Eastern Ontario Research Institute. “Youth are spending, on average, between six to eight hours per day on screens, much of it on social media. Social media can expose users to hundreds or even thousands of images and photos every day, including those of celebrities and fashion or fitness models, which we know leads to an internalization of beauty ideals that are unattainable for almost everyone, resulting in greater dissatisfaction with body weight and shape.”

However, much of the psychological research on social media, body image and mental health is correlational, according to Goldfield, so it is uncertain whether people with body image and mental health issues spend more time on social media or if social media use leads to greater body image and mental health issues.

To better understand the causal effects of reducing social media use on body image, Goldfield and his colleagues previously conducted a pilot study with 38 undergraduate students with elevated levels of anxiety and/or depression. Some of the participants were asked to limit their social media use to no more than 60 minutes per day, while others were allowed unrestricted access. Compared with participants who had unlimited access, participants who restricted their use showed improvements in how they regarded their overall appearance (but not their weight) after three weeks. Due to the small sample size, though, the researchers were unable to conduct a meaningful analysis of the effect of gender.

The current experiment, involving 220 undergraduate students aged 17–25 (76% female, 23% male, 1% other) and published in the journal Psychology of Popular Media , sought to expand the pilot study and address the gender limitation. In order to qualify, participants had to be regular social media users (at least two hours per day on their smartphones) and exhibit symptoms of depression or anxiety.

For the first week of the experiment, all participants were instructed to use their social media as they normally would. Social media use was measured using a screentime tracking program to which participants provided a daily screenshot. After the first week, half the participants were instructed to reduce their social media use to no more than 60 minutes per day. At the start of the experiment, participants also responded to a series of statements about their overall appearance (e.g., “I’m pretty happy about the way I look”) and weight (e.g., “I am satisfied with my weight”) on a 5-point scale, with 1 indicating “never” and 5 “always.” Participants completed a similar questionnaire at the end of the experiment.

For the next three weeks, participants who were instructed to restrict their social media use reduced it by approximately 50% to an average of 78 minutes per day versus the control group, which averaged 188 minutes of social media use per day.

Participants who reduced their social media use had a significant improvement in how they regarded both their overall appearance and body weight after the three-week intervention, compared with the control group, who saw no significant change. Gender did not appear to make any difference in the effects.

“Our brief, four-week intervention using screentime trackers showed that reducing social media use yielded significant improvements in appearance and weight esteem in distressed youth with heavy social media use,” said Goldfield. “Reducing social media use is a feasible method of producing a short-term positive effect on body image among a vulnerable population of users and should be evaluated as a potential component in the treatment of body-image-related disturbances.”

While the current study was conducted as a proof of concept, Goldfield and his colleagues are in the process of conducting a larger study to see if reduction in social media use can be maintained for longer periods and whether that reduction can lead to even greater psychological benefits.

Article: “Reducing Social Media Use Improves Appearance and Weight Esteem in Youth with Emotional Distress,” by Helen Thai, BA, McGill University; Christopher Davis, PhD, Wardah Mahboob, MA, Sabrina Perry, BA, and Alex Adams, BA, Carleton University; and Gary Goldfield, PhD, Children’s Hospital of Eastern Ontario. Psychology of Popular Media , published online Feb. 23, 2023.

Gary Goldfield, PhD, can be contacted via email .

Jim Sliwa (202) 336-5707

• Social media and the internet Psychology topic
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Social media use and body image issues among adolescents in a vulnerable Louisiana community

Caroline e. sagrera.

1 Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Medicine, School of Medicine, Louisiana State University Health Shreveport, Shreveport, LA, United States

2 Louisiana Addiction Research Center, Shreveport, LA, United States

Johnette Magner

3 School of Communication and Media Studies, Louisiana Tech University, Ruston, LA, United States

Jazzlynn Temple

4 Caddo Parish Magnet High School, Shreveport, LA, United States

Robert Lawrence

Timothy j. magner, victor j. avila-quintero.

5 Child Study Center, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, United States

Pamela McPherson

Laura lane alderman, mohammad alfrad nobel bhuiyan.

6 Division of Clinical Informatics, Department of Internal Medicine, Louisiana State University Health Shreveport, Shreveport, LA, United States

James C. Patterson, II

7 Department of Pharmacology, Toxicology and Neuroscience, School of Graduate Studies, Louisiana State University Health Shreveport, Shreveport, LA, United States

Kevin S. Murnane

Associated data.

The raw data supporting the conclusions of this article will be made available by the authors, without undue reservation.

Widespread concern has been expressed regarding unrealistic body image and adolescent eating disorder promoting content on social media (SM) platforms. Numerous research studies have examined the impact of SM on body image as well as social vulnerability on negative mental health outcomes. Despite this, few previous studies have examined the impact of SM on body image specifically in vulnerable, underserved, or predominantly minority communities. This study examines the impact of SM on body image issues (BII) in adolescents in a public school system where greater than 50% of the students live in impoverished households. In late 2019, high school student leaders in Northwest Louisiana developed a survey alongside Step Forward, a collective impact initiative. Questions investigated adolescent SM use and mental health in Caddo Parish, namely BII. Teachers within Caddo Parish Public School System administered the survey. Out of the 11,248 total high school students in the school system, nearly 50% were sampled for a sample size of 5,070. Hypotheses included: (1) females were more likely to use SM than males, (2) increasing time spent on SM would correlate with females reporting BII, with males remaining largely unaffected, and (3) highly visual social media (HVSM) platforms would be associated with greater reports of BII than non-HVSM platforms. Results showed females were more likely to use SM ( p < 0.001) and report BII ( p < 0.001) compared to males, while both sexes reported BII with increasing time spent on SM ( p < 0.001). A diversity of platforms were associated with increased BII among SM users compared to non-users ( p < 0.001): Pinterest, Reddit, Snapchat, TikTok, Twitter, and YouTube. This conclusion is tempered by the omission of race as a variable in the study design, the use of self-report, and the use of an unvalidated instrument. These findings suggest that the harmful association between SM use and BII may transcend culture and socioeconomic status for a broadly deleterious effect on adolescent mental wellbeing.

Introduction

Adolescent vulnerability to mental health disorders.

Previous studies have seen an association between heightened vulnerability to outside influences and the advent of puberty. Given the magnified sensitivity of this time, adolescents may be susceptible to mental health insults, with around 20% of children and adolescents experiencing some sort of struggle with mental wellbeing ( 1 ), and nearly 50% of those having developed signs and symptoms as early as 14 years of age ( 2 , 3 ). Additionally, the prevalence of mood disorders increases with age, with rates nearly doubling from the age ranges of 13–14 to 17–18 years old ( 4 ). The most common mood disorders experienced by these populations are anxiety and depression, with nearly one in three adolescents suffering from some form of anxiety disorder. Furthermore, Kessler et al. found the prevalence of any diagnosable mental health or behavioral disorder in the adolescent population to be 23.4%, representing nearly a quarter of the entire adolescent population suffering mentally ( 2 ).

Body image issues among adolescents

The phrase “body image” encompasses how one perceives, acts toward, thinks, and feels about one’s body and lies on a spectrum ranging from positive to negative perceptions ( 5 ). Adolescents, especially females, have historically been subjected to pressures in favor of the thin body image ideal in traditional media outlets; this problem is suspected of growing more severe with the rise of social media (SM) ( 6 ).

On average, 50% of adolescent females are unhappy with their bodies compared to 31% of males ( 7 ). Generally speaking, the media portrays several ideal body images for females, ranging from curvy and hourglass, to thin, to athletic and muscular ( 8 – 12 ). Meanwhile, males seem to receive a more consistent message that muscular is ideal ( 1 ).

Impact of social media

Of all media outlets, SM may represent the strongest driver of these beauty ideals. SM platforms, such as Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, and TikTok, among others, are used ubiquitously among U.S. adolescents, with 96% using at least one social networking platform ( 13 , 14 ). There are differences between and among adolescents in their usage patterns, with 35% of adolescents of African descent indicating that they “enjoy using social media a lot” as opposed to 20% of adolescents of European descent. Adolescents of African descent also average 36% more time on SM compared to adolescents of European descent. In addition, in 2019 average daily screen use among adolescents of African Descent was 8.32 h compared to 6.40 h for adolescents of European descent ( 15 ).

SM platforms can be broadly divided into highly visual social media (HVSM) and others. HVSM includes Instagram, Snapchat, Pinterest, YouTube, and TikTok, among others in the minority. The “other” group is largely comprised of Facebook, Twitter, and Reddit. HVSM are often accompanied by interactive features such as likes, comments, and stories. McCrory et al., described these features as contributing to severe emotional highs and lows associated with instant gratification and instant inadequacy, respectively ( 16 ). It has been reported that females are disproportionately likely to use HVSM, with males tending to gravitate toward Facebook ( 17 ).

SM has enabled the widespread viewing of “ideal body image” content, with recent research indicating that up to 80% of photographs are digitally altered ( 18 ). Data from several SM platforms shows that they consistently reinforce these body image ideals and may facilitate poor body image, perception of self, and eating disorders among males and females ( 19 , 20 ). Adolescents, especially females, have reported they received mostly negative insight about their bodies and perceived sexual attractiveness from SM, spurring body and self-dissatisfaction ( 21 , 22 ). Furthermore, screen time on SM has been linked to obesity, perpetuating the unrealistic nature of the beauty standards portrayed on platforms. Body dissatisfaction has been strongly linked to associated symptoms of anxiety and depression, with data showing females at an increased risk, perhaps due to increased use of highly visual SM as compared to males ( 17 , 23 ).

Additional studies examining time on SM have found that adolescents using SM for more than 2 h a day were more likely to report body image issues (BII), eating concerns, and depression ( 17 , 24 – 26 ). This combination of time spent on SM and increased reliance on HVSM by females may serve as a potential reason why females appear to be more susceptible to BII compared to males ( 17 ).

Caddo Parish population profile

These topics are especially relevant in the community of Northwest Louisiana, specifically Caddo Parish (county). Caddo Parish is located in the Northwest corner of Louisiana, bordering Texas and Arkansas. It is the fourth largest parish in Louisiana, containing three of the poorest zip codes in the state that are home to approximately 96,000 families. Caddo Parish is home to a population of about 240,000, comprised of 50% Americans of African descent, 46.5% Americans of European descent, 2.9% Hispanic Americans, and 1.3% Americans of Asian descent, with a median household income of $41,797 ( 27 ). Students of Caddo Parish Public Schools are comprised of 80% social minority populations, with 63.2% Americans of African descent, 32% Americans of European descent, and 4% of students from other races ( 28 , 29 ). Furthermore, 54% of students in the school system are eligible to receive free and reduced lunch, an indicator of lower family income ( 30 – 32 ).

Depending on the year, Louisiana oscillates between ranking first and second nationwide in children living in poverty ( 33 , 34 ). Caddo Parish is one of the most economically segregated regions in the South, with approximately 21% of families living below the poverty level ( 35 ). Childhood and adolescent adversity are often interrelated with poverty.

Louisiana ranked 50th among the states with the worst health outcomes in the United States ( 34 ). Louisiana ranks second in worst states for healthcare and ranks well above the national average for obesity and hypertension ( 34 , 36 – 38 ). Specifically Shreveport, the largest city within Caddo Parish, ranks eighth in most obese cities nationwide ( 39 ). The state ranks 46th in public healthcare, and, finally, 49th in mental healthcare and mental health outcomes ( 34 , 40 ).

These environmental factors expose the vulnerable adolescent population to significant stressors early in life, putting them at higher risk for physical harm and mental disability. According to the Child and Adolescent Health Initiative, 25.2% of Louisiana children had two or more adverse childhood experiences in 2016 ( 41 ). Studies show that exposure to extreme life stressors, such as childhood maltreatment, leave adolescents vulnerable to mood disorders, substance use disorders, impaired immune function, and generally poor health-seeking behaviors ( 42 – 44 ). These data portray a landscape ripe for mental health vulnerability and susceptibility to negative influences, highlighting the need for further data on other factors’ influence, such as SM, on adolescent mental health in areas with multi-generational poverty, violence, and social neglect ( 45 ).

In 2020, slightly more than 50% of Caddo Parish 10th grade students reported feeling depressed or sad most days in the past year and 35% met criteria for needing mental health treatment. This represents a 19% increase from the previous (2018) survey ( 1 , 46 ).

Field contribution

A National Library of Medicine electronic (PubMed) search conducted using the principal keywords—“social media,” “adolescents,” “body image,” and “disparities”— revealed four articles and a gap in the literature. Removing “disparities” resulted in numerous distinct results involving SM and BII in populations of young adults, Latinx, British, and Australian participants. However, no other study has assessed a population wherein the preponderance of children across an entire parish that is majority Americans of African descent or that ranks in the highest percentile for social vulnerability ( 47 – 50 ). Furthermore, this is the first study to examine the impact of BII in adolescents in a public school system where greater than 50% of the students live in impoverished households ( 31 , 32 , 51 ). Lastly, no previous studies have looked at impoverished adolescents with a sample size of such magnitude; the others of similar size focus on 18 years and older or neglect to account for social minority populations ( 50 , 52 – 54 ).

We hypothesized that (1) females were more likely to use SM than males, (2) the more time spent on SM, the more likely females are to report BII, with males remaining largely unaffected, and (3) HVSM platforms are associated with greater reports of BII than non-HVSM platforms. These hypotheses may prove particularly acute for the disproportionately vulnerable adolescent community of Caddo Parish. With the onset of COVID-19, this conversation proves increasingly relevant. Our novel findings may set a foundation for future studies in these areas and inspire future early adolescent mental health interventions, especially as SM use rises.

Materials and methods

Study design.

This study design was developed by students from the Caddo Parish Public School System who recognized the mental health crisis of their peers. These students felt SM to be a significant effector and perpetuator of BII and mental illness in their community. In response, during the spring of 2019, the Step Forward Teen Advisory Committee (TAC) was established to allow local adolescents to share their perspectives and knowledge of the needs of youth in Northwest Louisiana.

Step Forward represents a collective impact initiative of the Community Foundation of Northwest Louisiana. Their mission is to ensure optimal conditions of success for every individual from infancy to career in Northwest Louisiana. The TAC served as advisors to Step Forward community leaders in the process of identifying central focus areas and creating action plans geared toward improving student outcomes.

The TAC identified three key objectives for Northwest Louisiana youth: (1) improve teen mental health, (2) increase diverse career training opportunities, (3) increase youth civic involvement. In addition, the TAC wanted to understand the current state of adolescent mental health in Northwest Louisiana. Believing there may be a crisis with this population, they set out to collect data that accurately reflected the mental health landscape of Northwest Louisiana adolescents.

The TAC recommended specific question areas to Step Forward staff to create a survey instrument. The instrument consisted of 15 questions targeted at understanding teen mental wellbeing. Questions were asked about participants’ age and gender, use of SM, access to and utilization of support systems, various challenges experienced, coping strategies to stressors, and community involvement. Permission was obtained from the Superintendent of Schools for Caddo Parish for survey initiation.

The instrument designers felt it important to provide respondents with terms that were familiar with or would readily understand when answering the survey. With this in mind, more generalizable terms such as “issues with body image” were employed. This phrase was used to capture the landscape of adolescent BII more broadly and to “rule in” respondents who may be affected rather than create more narrow, specific criteria that have the potential to “rule out” due to respondent incomprehension or non-identification with an unfamiliar language.

Data collection

During the 2019–2020 school year, there were 11,248 students enrolled in ten public high schools in Caddo Parish. The numbers of students per grade were as follows: 9th–3,156; 10th–2,802; 11th–2,666; 12th–2,624. Approximately 70% of Caddo students are economically disadvantaged with 71% identifying as a minority population and 29% identifying as white. Within the student population, 49.52% were female, and 50.48% were male. In the fall of 2019, the survey was available to English teachers in all 10 high schools in Caddo Parish to administer in their classes. Participation in the survey was voluntary, and parents were provided the opportunity to opt-out their children ( 55 ). Of the 11,248 high school students in Caddo Parish at the time of the survey, 5,070 respondents aged 14–19 years old, with a median age of 16, completed the survey. Because the survey was voluntary, participation was not tracked by the Caddo Parish Public Schools or school principals. We lack documentation of the specific schools and classes that participated in the survey. However, we believe that the volume of respondents is still sufficient to assign significance to the findings.

Later that year, TAC members worked with an expert consultant to analyze the data and provide a series of recommendations for improvement steps in students’ mental health services. These findings and recommendations were presented by Step Forward and TAC representatives to the Caddo Parish School Board.

Data obtained from this survey illustrates students’ beliefs regarding their own mental health. Topics of self-harm behavior, thoughts on confiding in someone beneficial, and BII were assessed. Analysis of this data allowed researchers to make inferences on various challenges faced by respondents, enabling the TAC team to better understand the mental health landscape of the Caddo Parish Public School system. At the beginning of 2020, Step Forward made this data set available to the broader research community with the intention of further data analysis for additional improvements in students’ mental health services. Our research team at Louisiana Health Sciences Center completed an IRB and received approval for study initiation.

We used the data available to give a cross-sectional view of adolescent mental health in the Caddo Parish Public School system in Northwest Louisiana at the time of the survey. This paper focuses on the effect of SM usage on body image. An exploratory analysis was performed based on this objective.

Statistical analysis

Data management and statistical analysis were performed using STATA/BE v17 (StataCorp, LLC). Continuous variables are presented as mean standard deviation (SD). Categorical variables are presented as the number (proportion or %) of participants. All data were tested for normality using Kolmogorov-Smirnov test, and data that passed normality assumption were analyzed using Student’s t -test ( p < 0.05) for two groups. Categorical variables were analyzed using Pearson’s Chi-squared test.

Unadjusted and adjusted association of gender and endpoints were analyzed using generalized logistic regression models for the entire dataset. All P -values are 2-sided, with p < 0.05 considered statistically significant.

Participants

Out of the 11,248 total high school students in Caddo Parish Public School System, we sampled over 50% with a sample size of 5,070 ( 30 ). Respondents were predominately females (54.3%) with an average age of 15.79 ± 1.23 years.

Hypothesis 1

In Hypothesis 1, we hypothesized that females are more likely to use SM than males.

We found that only 3.2% of sampled adolescents reported not using SM ( p < 0.001) ( Table 1 ). A greater percentage of females reported using Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, Snapchat, and TikTok than males ( p < 0.001) ( Table 1 ). A greater percentage of females reported using Twitter and Instagram than males, but results were not statistically significant. The only SM application used by males more than females was Reddit ( p < 0.001) ( Table 1 ). Further, females were more likely to spend two or more hours on SM per day as compared to males ( p < 0.001) ( Table 1 ).

Differences in social media (SM) use by sex.

Hypothesis 2

In Hypothesis 2, we hypothesized that the more time spent on SM, the more likely females are to report BII, with males remaining largely unaffected.

We found that 77.6% of females reported BII compared to 18% of males ( p < 0.001) ( Table 2 ). Females were about four times more likely to report experiencing BII compared to male participants with an odds ratio (OR) of 4.03 (95% confidence interval (CI) = 3.41–4.78, p < 0.001) ( Table 3 ).

Differences in social media (SM) use by self-report of body image issues (BII).

Odds ratios for self-reported body image issues (BII).

Students reporting a daily use of more than 2 h of SM have 1.59 more odds of self-reporting BII compared to those using less than 2 h daily (CI = 1.37–1.84, p < 0.001). Students who reported use of more than four SM platforms have two times greater odds of reporting BII than do those using less than four of these platforms (OR = 2.04, CI = 1.77–2.36, p < 0.001) ( Table 3 ). Most respondents used three or four SM apps ( Figure 1 ), which corresponded to peak reports of BII ( Table 3 ). Using five SM platforms increased self-reports of BII by about 30% and using six or seven platforms doubled reports of BII ( Figure 1 ). Students who reported experiencing BII, were more likely to spend two or more hours a day on SM, as compared to those who did not report BII ( Figure 2 ). After 2 h spent daily on SM platforms, BII reported in SM users increased from 23% of respondents to 66% of respondents. Contrary to our hypothesis, data showed both females and males to self-report BII in the setting of increased time using SM.

Distribution of the number of reported social media (SM) platforms used by respondents’ report of experiencing body image issues (BII).

Increase in daily time spent on social media (SM) platforms has a dose-response relationship to increasing self-reported body image issues (BII).

Hypothesis 3

In Hypothesis 3 we hypothesized that HVSM platforms are associated with greater reports of BII than non-HVSM platforms.

Pinterest, Snapchat, TikTok, and YouTube show a statistically significant difference in self-reporting BII (35.4, 73.7, 58.4, and 79.9%, respectively, with p < 0.001). The use of non-HVSM Facebook, Reddit, and Twitter also showed to be associated with self-reported BII (25.1%, p = 0.037; 12.2%, p < 0.001; 31.7%, p < 0.001, respectively). Use of Instagram does not show a statistically significant difference in self-reported BII with usage (84.6%, p = 0.13) ( Table 2 ).

Pinterest showed the highest odds of self-reporting BII (OR = 2.66, 95% CI = 2.26–3.12, p < 0.001) followed by TikTok (OR = 2.01, 95% CI = 1.74–2.31, p < 0.001), Snapchat (OR = 1.55, 95% CI = 1.33–1.81, p < 0.001) and YouTube (OR = 1.51, 95% CI = 1.27–1.80, p < 0.001) ( Table 3 ). Non-HVSM of Facebook and Twitter showed less odds of self-reporting BII while still remaining statistically significant (OR = 1.19, 95% CI = 1.01–1.40, p = 0.038; OR = 1.34, 95% CI = 1.15–1.57, p < 0.001). The use of Instagram was not statistically significant with self-reporting of BII in this sample of respondents (OR = 1.16; 95% CI = 0.95–1.42; p = 0.133). Not using SM was protective for self-reporting BII (OR = 0.65, 95% CI = 0.45–0.94, p < 0.021) ( Table 3 ).

When stratified by sex, HVSM predictors showed increased odds of reporting BII in both females and males who use Pinterest (OR = 1.66, 95% CI = 1.38–1.99, P < 0.001 and OR = 3.31, 95% CI = 2.05–5.36, P < 0.001), YouTube (OR = 1.61, 95% CI = 1.31–1.99, P < 0.001 and OR = 1.51, 95% CI = 1.03–2.21, P = 0.033), and TikTok (OR = 1.65, 95% CI = 1.38–1.97, P < 0.001 and OR = 1.50, 95% CI = 1.11–2.03, P < 0.01). Snapchat was statistically significant for females (OR = 1.30, 95% CI = 1.06–1.59, P < 0.05) but not males (OR = 1.31, 95% CI = 0.96–1.78, P = 0.09) in association with BII reporting ( Table 4 ). While the use of HVSM was more likely to result in reports of BII, our data was unable to make an association between HVSM and increased BII. A diversity of SM platforms (both HVSM and non-HVSM) were associated with a statistically significant increase in BII among participants.

Odds ratios for self-reporting body image issues (BII) stratified by sex for highly visual social media (HVSM).

All predictors remained statistically significant after adjustment for sex differences, apart from “No use of SM” (OR = 0.80; 95% CI = 0.54–1.19; p = 0.27) and Facebook (OR = 1.05, 95% CI = 0.88–1.24; p = 0.617). Pinterest and Reddit were among the strongest contributors to BII, with OR = 1.79 (CI = 1.51–2.13; p < 0.001) and OR = 2.85 (CI = 2.19–3.70; p < 0.00), respectively. Students spending 2 h or more on SM had increased odds of self-reporting BII regardless of sex differences ( Figure 3 ). Males were over two times as likely to use Reddit as compared to females (10% of the users were male vs. 3.8% of the users who were female). Although Reddit showed a statistically significant contribution to self-reporting BII (OR = 2.85; p < 0.001), the CI was large at 2.19–3.70, which may be attributed to most participants not using Reddit; regardless, those who do use the platform exhibit self-reporting BII. Data show that Reddit’s contribution to BII is significant but may not be meaningful due to the low percentage of users in the study population.

Odds ratios for self-reporting body image issues (BII) after adjusting for sex.

A tremendous gap in the literature exists in studying populations of the highest index of social vulnerability and health disparities regarding SM use and BII. There is a robust database of literature on other populations, including Latinx, Chinese, British, Australian, young adult, and university populations. This is the only study to date that has assessed children, majority Americans of African descent, of the highest percentile of social vulnerability across an entire parish ( 47 – 50 ). No previous studies have looked at impoverished adolescents with a sample size of such magnitude; others of similar size focus on 18 years and older or neglect to account for social minority populations ( 50 , 52 – 54 ). The current study examined whether self-reported BII was associated with SM use among 5,070 high school adolescents in Northwest Louisiana.

Social media platform usage: Male vs. females

One of the strongest drivers of BII is the reception of appearance-related feedback on SM ( 56 ). Although both males and females may be negatively impacted by SM, Manago et al., argues that females may receive a disproportionate amount of peer appearance-related feedback than males, with their data revealing females are evaluated more strongly on SM than males regarding their appearances ( 57 ). Following this, most research available to date has thoroughly explored the relationship between SM and the development of BII in females, with the studies that did look at both males and females emphasizing the latter. This includes a large body of literature dedicated to eating disorders ( 58 – 64 ). McCabe and Ricciardelli, have demonstrated overlap between the factors that affect both females and males in the development of BII, highlighting the importance of SM and BII studies that sample both males and females ( 65 ).

In contrast with many previous studies, our study sampled both females and males. Findings echo previous data in the disproportionate disparities of BII faced by females as compared to males with 77.6% females vs. nearly 20% of males reporting BII. Despite these similarities, researchers highlight a vulnerable population that, alongside similar BII, faces tremendous health disparities significantly higher than national averages. The public health crisis in Louisiana arguably leaves a wider gap in the equitable care necessary to rehabilitate the vulnerable adolescent population from BII and associated mental health disparities. Caddo Parish is one of the poorest parishes in Louisiana in a state that ranks 49th out of 50 in mental healthcare and mental health outcomes ( 34 , 40 ).

Specific social media platforms related to body image issues

A large percentage of existing data on SM and body image reports findings in terms of Facebook usage, given its nearly three billion users ( 42 , 61 , 66 – 68 ). Previous studies have included SM variables of Facebook, Pinterest, Reddit, TikTok, and YouTube in conglomerate with results expressed in total SM usage and time ( 69 ). Other studies have collected robust data on the influence of solely Instagram and Snapchat contributing to BII in both males and females ( 70 – 72 ). In comparison, our data presents novel findings across many different SM platforms (Instagram, Facebook, Snapchat, TikTok, Pinterest, YouTube, Reddit, and Twitter) by exploring the relationship of BII and SM through assessment of specific SM platforms used by males vs. females and their individual influences on BII. Findings indicated that females were more likely to use Pinterest, TikTok, Instagram, Snapchat, and Twitter; males were more likely to use Reddit. These findings are supported by past research showing females more likely to use SM as compared to males ( 17 , 42 , 64 ). Pinterest was the platform most highly associated with BII in Caddo respondents with usage for two or more hours a day resulting in 2.66 greater odds of developing BII.

Of note, Reddit revealed significantly higher odds of association with BII than other platforms. Reddit is a diverse platform that can both contribute to negative perception of self as well as operate as an outlet for individuals facing BII to commiserate and collectively soothe pain ( 73 ). Many sources reveal Reddit may offer a support community for various struggles from eating disorders to image-based dissatisfaction, while also at times endorsing and empowering negative self-perception, eating disorders, and BII ( 74 – 76 ). During times of isolation during the COVID-19 pandemic, Reddit has been shown as a space for reprieve from loneliness ( 77 ). These data reveal Reddit has potential to be both beneficial and harmful regarding BII ( 78 ). From our data, it is unclear if Reddit use is contributing to BII, or if Reddit is merely a coping outlet for those already experiencing BII; therefore, we cannot make assumptions on the direction of causality between Reddit and BII. This was an unexpected finding and should be investigated in future research.

While the use of HVSM was more likely to result in reports of BII, our data was unable to make an association between HVSM and increased BII. A diversity of SM platforms (both HVSM and non-HVSM) were associated with a statistically significant increase in BII among participants. Our results highlight a frightening reality of mental disease and BII for the majority of adolescents who use SM in this community; a community comprised of a majority of Americans of African descent, a population who, along with adolescents of Hispanic/Latinx descent, have been shown to use up to 2 h more screen time daily as compared to their European-descended counterparts ( 15 ).

Time on platforms related to development of body image issues

Previous data has shown adolescents of African descent and socioeconomically vulnerable populations average up to 36% more SM use and screen time than adolescents of European descent and higher income families ( 15 ). Looking at the adolescent community of Caddo Parish, a community comprised of majority Americans of African descent, data revealed over 60% of participants experiencing BII spent in excess of two or more hours a day on SM. This finding echoes that of numerous other sources who show similarly that time is positively associated with development of and persistence of BII ( 62 , 79 – 81 ). Vandenbosch and Eggermont, found a positive correlation between frequency of checking SM accounts and increased body surveillance ( 81 ). de Vries et al., further found that the frequency of checking Facebook translated to increased investment in adolescent appearance ( 82 ). This dose-response relationship is also validated by several studies that found body dissatisfaction increases with total time spent on SM ( 83 , 84 ).

Contrary to our hypothesis, data showed both females and males to self-report BII in the setting of increased time using SM; this is concordant with previous studies. A dose-response relationship between SM use and BII indicates BII and associated mental health issues transcend culture and social vulnerability ( 85 , 86 ). Despite this, data emphasizes that outcomes have tremendous potential for variability given that vulnerable populations may not have the resources to mitigate the deleterious effects of negative self-perception and BII that other, non-impoverished communities may have access to.

Quantity of platforms related to body image issues

Several studies exist that focus solely on the SM platforms of Instagram, Facebook, or the combination; most data reported SM use generally associated with development of BII ( 11 , 22 , 26 , 42 , 61 ). Further, most data expressed outcomes in terms of SM use and BII but fail to individuate the discrete platforms’ effect on BII ( 80 , 87 , 88 ). Our data revealed statistically significant associations between SM use and BII for seven of eight distinct platforms sampled: Facebook, Pinterest, Reddit, Snapchat, TikTok, Twitter, and YouTube; no statistically significant values for Instagram were shown to be associated with development of BII. Our findings emphasize that a diversity of mediums and content seem to broadly have negative impacts on body image.

Results further indicated concomitant use of three to four SM platforms to correlate with the highest burden of BII suffered. This is thought to be due, at least in part, to the low number of respondents who selected more or fewer platforms on the survey. Other studies have shown a positive correlation between increasing SM platform usage and the development of BII thoughts and habits, such as disordered eating ( 61 , 89 ).

Findings in this impoverished adolescent population parallel that of other studies, showing that the association of SM and BII have a broadly bad effect on adolescent wellbeing. Regardless, these similarities are not determinant of long-term outcomes. The tremendous health disparities faced by these vulnerable communities has potential to impede recovery and perpetuate deleterious mental health insults, such as BII.

Potential limitations

There are limitations associated with the present study. Data were collected from a self-reported survey using a non-validated survey instrument; the questions were written by a team of dedicated adolescent peers and then edited by Step Forward team members. This study also neglected to assess race as a determinant of BII and general health; these design elements and measures will be included in future studies. This study only sampled a single population and may be cause for non-generalizability of results when applying to broader populations outside of Northwest Louisiana. This study also did not utilize formal tools for measuring SM usage; an objective form of measuring SM activity and engagement may be beneficial for future studies. Finally, this study was conducted prior to the COVID-19 outbreak, so results may not accurately reflect the current mental landscape of Northwest Louisiana youth. It is a concern that adolescent BII and self-perception may be worse than depicted ( 90 – 92 ). Despite the limitations in the study design, we believe the study maintains clinical significance by clearly presenting the cogent relationship between SM usage and BII in a population devastated by health disparities and social vulnerability; the abundance of literature cited links BII to concurrent or later development of conditions that include, but are not limited to, eating disorders, suicidality, and general mental health disturbances such as anxiety and depression. We also recognize that the classification of BII and criteria for inclusion of this as a variable may be perceived as vague in the study design. The instrument designers felt it important to provide respondents with terms that were familiar with or would readily understand when answering the survey. With this in mind, more generalizable terms such as “issues with body image” were employed. This phrase was used to capture the landscape of adolescent BII more broadly and to “rule in” respondents who may be affected rather than create more narrow, specific criteria that have the potential to “rule out” due to respondent incomprehension or non-identification with an unfamiliar language. Regardless of whether these terms meet specific clinical definitions, we believe the consistent use of student self-reporting throughout the survey provides sufficient indication of student perceived harm for us to warrant study.

Future directions

Adolescent mental health disorders represent a serious problem and a significant burden of disease to the population. As adolescents increasingly spend more time on SM, such as they have since the COVID pandemic, the risk of related harms, such as BII, may increase as well.

This study produced valuable data on particularly vulnerable populations that may prove relevant and useful in highlighting BII and mental health challenges among those who face extreme health disparities and social vulnerability. Our data echoes current literature in that SM use is associated with significant BII in adolescents. However, no other study has assessed a population wherein the preponderance of children across an entire parish that is majority Americans of African descent or that ranks in the highest percentile for social vulnerability ( 47 – 50 ). The consistency of our data with previous findings demonstrates the relationship between SM use and BII to transcend that of culture and socioeconomic status and be broadly deleterious for the adolescent population, a finding that would not be otherwise known until now. The current public health crisis in Louisiana highlights a gap in equitable care for these populations, a gap that may selectively impede recovery from BII and associated mental health disparities. Given the plasticity and sensitivity of the adolescent brain, inaction during this mental health crisis may have devastating effects on the lives of countless of adolescents ( 93 ).

Our research stresses the importance of understanding the factors affecting the health and wellbeing of this vulnerable adolescent community. Obtaining data from the lived experiences of adolescents may help researchers better understand and address these mental health crises. Furthermore, we believe direct partnership with the adolescent community may be essential for development of future supportive interventions. Findings may correspondingly suggest that platform providers prioritize development of tools to reduce harmful body image content available to vulnerable adolescents to mitigate the damaging effects of BII on adolescent present and future wellbeing.

Data availability statement

Ethics statement.

The studies involving human participants were reviewed and approved by the Institutional Review Board and LSU Health Shreveport. Written informed consent to participate in this study was provided by the participants’ legal guardian/next of kin.

Author contributions

CS: conceptualization, roles/writing—original draft, writing—review and editing, and submission. JM: data curation, conceptualization, roles/writing—original draft, and writing—review and editing. JT and RL: conceptualization, data curation, investigation, methodology, and writing—review and editing. TM: conceptualization and writing—review and editing. VA-Q and MB: formal analysis and writing—review and editing. PM and LA: data curation and writing—review and editing. JP: conceptualization, project administration, and writing—review and editing. KM: data curation, investigation, project administration, supervision, and writing—review and editing. All authors contributed to the article and approved the submitted version.

Acknowledgments

This work was supported by the Community Foundation of North Louisiana, Caddo Parish School System, and the TAC. It was then further supported by the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Medicine, the Louisiana Addiction Research Center, and the Department of Pharmacology, Toxicology and Neuroscience at the Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center—Shreveport.

Conflict of interest

The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest.

Publisher’s note

All claims expressed in this article are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of their affiliated organizations, or those of the publisher, the editors and the reviewers. Any product that may be evaluated in this article, or claim that may be made by its manufacturer, is not guaranteed or endorsed by the publisher.

Social Media and Body Image

This essay will discuss the impact of social media on body image. It will explore how social media platforms can influence perceptions of beauty and self-esteem, and the psychological effects this can have, particularly on young people. At PapersOwl too, you can discover numerous free essay illustrations related to Body Image.

How it works

Beauty is not in the eyes of the beholder. It has been altered, copied and pasted, and manipulated to look like everyone else. Societies’ view on beauty has been molded throughout the years to confine to narrow ideas of beauty. These beauty standards have been filled with negative images portrayed by the media. Today’s media has been manipulated with images with photoshop editing, fad diets and unrealistic expectations on standards of what a person should look like. Even though social expectations do not dictate what we change ourselves, the media negatively distorts body image.

Body image refers to people’s judgements of themselves and their own bodies. It is formed when people compare themselves to that of others. By establishing unattainable standards of beauty and bodily perfection, the media drives people to dissatisfaction of their body image. This dissatisfaction can result to drastic measures and even disorders of behavior, as people try to achieve these unreachable goals. With social media becoming a more popular source of entertainment, it will continue to create body image issues. Through the years, history has shown us how body image has changed because of society standards.

Before messages about body image were expanded to its current size and speed by electronic mass, messages about body image were carried by magazines, newspapers, books and print ads. Unrealistic standards of body image have not been a recent trend just brought on by the increase in technology. Body image has been altered over the past 300 years. This has been hugely in part to the accordance to what society deems attractive. In the 17th century, curvy voluptuous woman was considered to be the ideal beauty standard for women in the U.S and Europe. Peter Paul Rubens, a 17th century painter was famous for depicting plump, sensual women, coined Rubenesque (VanBuskirk). Throughout the 1900s woman were depicted with a thin waist, large bosom, and rounded shoulders, many times using corsets to physically shift the shape and size of their waist. From the 1920s onward, body image was continually altered and shaped, idealizing slimmer body types. For example, flappers on the 1920s had slender builds, women of the 1940s and 50’s felt pressure to conform to the airbrushed ideals of mass-produced pinup girls, and by the 60’s women adopted slender, almost emaciated looks like that of Twiggy. Eventually arriving into the 1990’s and 2000’s. During this time period the sensationalized heroin chic, associated with Kate Moss, this look exemplified a slender frame, and sunken cheeks which became the status of beauty to be obtained by other models. If models had become any skinnier, they wouldn’t have been able to walk the runway.

A cross sectional survey observing the trends within the area of body image satisfaction made it certain that females had reported relatively more satisfaction in the 1960’s that in 1990’s (Agliata). The comparison of body image and satisfaction has shown to be swayed by media influences. The ongoing alterations of woman’s bodies will only continue with the rise of social media. Therefore, history has shown that media imagery is influential in the way women perceive themselves. In today’s society, social media has become the main source of body image dissatisfaction. As technology has grown, so has the amount of exposure a person will experience throughout the day. According to the first-quarter 2018 Nielsen Total Audience report, nearly half an adults’ day is dedicated to consuming this content (Schmall). Today, people are exposed to more images to compare themselves to than ever before. This constant exposure affects viewers. With social media on the rise, unrealistic body images and picture-perfect lifestyles overload a screen at any given time. A cookie cutter image of the Kardashians has been at the forefront of today’s social standard. Large lips, curvy hips and a large buttock has been seen as the epitome of modern idealistic beauty. Women are going as far as to alter their looks by cosmetic surgery to obtain the look.

Generally, celebrities in the 80s and 90s received plastic surgery, but the significant cultural shift toward creating idealistic bodies has pushed plastic surgery business into the foreseeable future. Women feel increasingly pressured by the media about their bodies. Images that are shown on media platforms depict unrealistic bodies that reflect a society that has unobtainable expectations. However, body positive accounts have been made to counteract what is happening in society. Body stereotypes have long held a rein in dictating society’s view on beauty, but the body positive movement has gained steam over the past years. Plus size models and other varying types of body types are rebelling against societies’ push to conform society’s ideal body stereotype. The body positive movement refers to accepting the body that you have, regardless of age, shape, size and race. Multiple social media accounts have been produced to rejoice in the bodies that a person is currently in. Though the body positive movement is among us, it is not here to stay. Many plus size models are still outside the average American body, cat walking with flawless faces, long legs and flat stomachs. There is still a society label on plus size models who are narrowly labeled as being unattractive and are heavily criticized. The fact is, that body positive social media accounts are narrow in their inclusion of what is socially appropriate. Many times, body positive groups exclude another group.

There are also misconceptions that body positive groups are promoting being unhealthy by accepting those who are larger in size. Regardless of the trend, the truth remains that the body positive movement is advertised as a ‘love yourself movement’ when really it is nothing more than a way for companies to use it as a campaign. Society should have a positive view on body image but instead it is misleading in its movement, producing body dissatisfaction. The fact remains that body positive outlets do not deter from the rise of psychological disorders. The effect social media has on body image has caused a rise in disorders, such as self-esteem, depression and eating disorders. Overexposure to social media has skewed normal standards of health and beauty for woman throughout society. Richard Perloff, a Professor of communications at Cleveland State University says, “Many cross-sectional and longitudinal surveys have found that media exposure predicts body dissatisfaction, thin body ideals, and eating disorder symptomatology among preadolescent girls and young women” (Perloff). People compare themselves to these images while internalizing the feelings associated with not being good enough, they then absorb the message that they should associate themselves based on their appearance.

Some people are affected by reacting quickly and strongly to images while others are resistant to images and they do not affect that person. These reactions have to do with an individual’s traits such as self-esteem, how they feel about their appearance, and images that may become triggers. Some triggers may cause issues towards one’s body issue such as depression, low self-esteem and even eating disorders. However, overexposure doesn’t always mean someone will feel worse about their bodies. People that are affected are not equally affected by images portrayed by the media. There are suggestions that the effect of body image standards can be felt in several areas. It is natural to compare oneself to another, but when observations go beyond a healthy correlation and people tell themselves that their bodies are substandard, there may become instances of feeling depressed or suffer from low self-esteem, possibly even develop and eating disorder.

Other unhealthy habits may develop because of unrealistic standards, such as smoking, alcohol and drugs. Overexposure has accelerated the development of psychological disorders and with the continual use of social media, the next generation will follow suit. Media has attributed to many expectations of women’s body image. The ongoing evolution of body image has shown to alter throughout the years, and historically has shown the downsizing of the human body and what is deemed attractive. People associate their image as their self-worth, and this shouldn’t be the case. The way society has molded people with unrealistic standards should not create harm on a person who do not feel adequate enough. Images of unattainable standards should not be plastered on billboards and screens to be a representation of what a stereotypical person should look like. As trends show and beauty standard alter, correlations have been showing dissatisfaction whether it be depression, anxiety or an eating disorder. Social media’s popularity will continue to morph the standards of body image.    

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Just 10 minutes on social media can harm body image, study reveals

The study raises concerns over the impact social media has on mental health.

By Chase Martin

A recent study conducted by researchers at Charles Sturt University in Australia explores how TikTok use contributes to body image issues in females.

The study involved 273 women aged 18 to 28, according to NBC News . But the findings indicated that any user should be on the lookout for the identified issues, not just young women.

The impact of social media on mental health has become a hotly debated topic, with companies like TikTok facing accusations of promoting addictive and harmful content to children.

Utah has filed a lawsuit against the social media platform, accusing it of using algorithms that manipulate children into excessive use without adequate safeguards, as previously reported by Deseret News .

Utah Gov. Spencer Cox has previously likened TikTok to tobacco companies, claiming the platform is aware of the harm its services cause yet it continues to market them to vulnerable audiences.

The impact of TikTok on body image

The study out of Australia found that less than 10 minutes of exposure to harmful, health-related content on TikTok can negatively impact body image.

According to The Guardian , participants were divided into two groups: one viewed content promoting eating disorders, known as “pro-anorexia” or “pro-ana” content, while the other watched videos on nature, cooking and comedy.

Both groups reported decreased body image satisfaction, but those exposed to pro-ana content experienced heightened anxiety.

“You don’t have to consume much content for it to have a negative impact,” Rachel Hogg, co-author of the study, told The Guardian. “We know that most people are spending a lot longer on TikTok than participants did in our study.”

The study focused on the immediate effects of social media on mental health, with the long-term effects remaining uncertain. Hogg expressed interest in further exploring these impacts in an interview with ABC News .

“We know from our study that the majority of users were using TikTok for an hour to two hours a day, and 64% of them reported seeing this kind of disordered eating content on their For You page,” she told ABC News.

Hogg also noted that some content might not seem problematic at first glance but could contribute to internalizing body image issues, such as extreme exercise and dieting trends.

Addressing body image concerns on TikTok

TikTok has taken steps to address harmful content on its platform by updating its community guidelines and modifying its algorithm, according to NBC News .

The company’s guidelines state that promoting disordered eating and dangerous weight loss behaviors is not allowed.

The platform also prevents users from searching for harmful topics. For example, searching for “anorexia” leads you to an image of a stomach hugging a heart, along with a number to the National Alliance for Eating Disorders and a message saying, “You’re not alone.”

However, Hogg pointed out in her ABC News interview that users can easily bypass TikTok’s censors by altering search terms slightly. Additionally, content that is not immediately recognizable as harmful remains a concern.

Doreen Marshall, CEO of the National Eating Disorder Association, acknowledged that the study was not definitive in proving TikTok causes an increase in disordered eating, per NBC News .

However, she emphasized that the study highlights the need for further research into the link between social media and eating disorders.

“While there’s been some movement, having platforms create some standards around this,” Marshall told NBC News. “Eating disorders are pretty complex, so we really need to understand more about the intersection and the influence of social media as part of a person’s environment.”

Social Media Effects on Adolescents’ Body Image Essay

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Adolescents are heavy users of social networking sites. Studies indicate that exposure to media ads influences teenagers’ body satisfaction and dietary habits. The purpose of the proposed research is to investigate the effect of social media on the body image of adolescents. This paper describes the methods and procedures that will be used in sample selection, data collection, and assessment of the study’s variables.

Research Question

The study will involve one central research question, namely, is social media affecting body image in adolescents? Although online networking sites are popular among adolescents, the effect of one social media on their body image and self-esteem is not well understood (Vries, Peter, Nikken & Graaf, 2014). By examining social media depictions of ideal body figures, the study aims to elucidate how social media use shapes body image perceptions among adolescents.

The research hypothesizes that heavy use of social media causes physical appearance dissatisfaction and poor self-image among teenagers. The second hypothesis is that high social media activity promotes the internalization of socialized appearances and body figures. The null hypothesis is that social networking sites have no influence on teenage self-image attitudes.

Sample Size

The study will use a sample of 30 participants drawn from a middle school. Since data collection will primarily involve questionnaires, this sample size is sufficient for achieving data saturation while eliminating redundancy (Warren & Karner, 2005).

Additionally, the sample size is large enough to capture the variability within the target population (adolescents) at minimal costs. In selecting the sample, the study will use the following inclusion criteria: students who are aged between 13 and 18, frequent social media users (Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram, among others), both male and female subjects, and participants drawn from diverse ethnic backgrounds. The sample will need to be diverse in terms of age, gender, race/ethnicity, and grade level to enhance its representativeness of the parent population.

Sampling Technique

The study will use snowball-sampling technique to select participants. According to Camic, Rhodes, and Yardley (2003), this approach will help identify “cases of interest” or a hidden population that is information-rich (p. 14). Additionally, snowballing will protect the confidentiality and privacy of the respondents because recruited participants will identify potential cases of interest in the study (referrals). In this study, the diverse sample of 30 participants generalizes to the adolescent (13-18 years) student population. This demographic includes teenage boys and girls who are heavy users of social media networks.

Study Variables

The study will measure body image satisfaction and correlate it with social media use among the respondents. The key variables will include weight satisfaction, preference for thin figures (girls) and muscular shapes (boys), physical self-concept, and internalized body ideals. It will also measure aspects of user activity on social media such as exposure/frequency, status updates, comments/feedback, and photo uploads and tags.

Operational Definitions of the Variables

• Weight satisfaction is a measure of how participants perceive their body weight. McCabe and Ricciardelli (2001) establish that females tend to adopt weight loss methods, while males use weight-gaining interventions to build muscles. The weight satisfaction measure will determine whether weight dissatisfaction causes adolescents to use body change strategies.
• Body figure preference is the pursuit of ‘idealized’ body shapes.
• Physical self-concept describes how one feels about his or her attractiveness and appearance.
• Internalized body ideals describe the degree to which the participants pursue the ‘perfect’ body type portrayed in social media.
• Social media exposure is the total time a user spends in online networking sites in a day. It entails activities such as the status updates made by a user, the type and amount of information shared with friends, and the feedback/comments and photo uploads/tags made or received by a respondent.

Measurement of the Variables

The researcher will use the Body-Esteem Scale (BES) developed by Mendelson, Mendelson, and White (2001) to measure how each participant feels about his or her weight. This validated scale is specifically designed to measure adolescent weight satisfaction based on five Likert scale options. Lower scores suggest body weight dissatisfaction.

The measurement of body figure preference will involve the eating disorder inventory that evaluates a person’s drive for thin figures (Garner, Olmsted & Polivy, 1983). The subjects’ responses will be ranked using a Likert scale. This instrument measures eating disorders, which indicate the fear of gaining weight. Thus, it is a reliable method for assessing body figure preference.

The assessment of the subject’s physical self-concept will involve the self-objectification questionnaire that ranks ten physical characteristics in terms of their effect on a person’s self-concept (Noll & Fredrickson, 1998). It is a validated self-objectification measure that relates physical attractiveness to individual health perceptions to determine a person’s level of emphasis on appearance.

The socio-cultural internalization questionnaire will be used to measure the degree to which the subjects have internalized the ‘ideal’ body types depicted in social media. This instrument was designed using normative data drawn from three different nations (Keery et al., 2004). This makes it a reliable psychometric tool for measuring internalized values and attitudes.

The measurement of social media exposure will involve a questionnaire designed by the researcher to assess the subjects’ use of social networking sites. It will contain yes/no items that measure each respondent’s online activity in terms of photo sharing, feedback sent or received, status updates, profile interests, and sites visited. A pilot testing will be done prior to the actual study to validate the questionnaire (Patton, 2001).

Data Collection Technique

In this study, data collection will involve the survey method. Survey questionnaires will be used to measure the variables related to body image and social media use among the respondents.

Research Design

The study will use a quantitative research design. A quantitative method is appropriate when the purpose of a study is to establish the cause/effect relationship between an independent variable (social media) and a dependent one (body image) (Creswell, 1998). This approach will be used to determine how social media use affects adolescents’ body image.

The researcher will recruit 30 participants from a middle school in VA State after gaining the approval of the school’s administration and the relevant institutional review board. Online newsletters will be placed on the school’s website requesting students to sign up for the study. Sampling will involve the snowballing technique. Interested participants below 18 years will be required to obtain parental consent. Informed consent will be sought from those who have attained 18 years. Data collection will involve survey questionnaires to measure the independent variable (use of social networking sites) and the dependent variable (body image). The survey will be administered after class hours in a lecture room and will take about 30 minutes.

Potential Ethical Issues

One of the major ethical issues relevant to this study is the protection of the privacy of personal information. To protect their privacy, the participants will be identified using codes. The other ethical issue relates to informed consent requirements. Parents will sign consent forms on behalf of minors to permit them to participate in this study.

Literature Review

This topic is very important to me because I have adolescents in my house who constantly use social media. I decided to research the potential causes of using social media and the effects on their body image. There is a lot of harm in this world, and if I can avoid any to their self-esteem, then I feel I have done well.

While writing the following research paper, a great number of different sources were used. Having understood the great importance of social research, the decision to conduct our own investigation was made. The book by Warren, C., and Karner, T Discovering Qualitative Methods: Field Research, Interviews, and Analysis served as the basis for the work because the main peculiarities of qualitative research and its applications are outlined there.

One more work, Qualitative Research in Psychology: Expanding Perspectives in Methodology and Design by Camic, P., Rhodes, E. and Yardley, L also describes the main peculiarities of conducting research in psychology. It was used to create credible and scholarly work in which results can be trusted. The book Qualitative Inquiry & Research Design: Choosing Among Five Traditions by J. Creswell always severs to the same purpose.

It describes different approaches to qualitative inquiry and how 5 different forms of studies can be conducted. Patton, M., in his work Qualitative evaluation and research methods also supplies readers with information about the main peculiarities of qualitative researches and main regularities, which should be necessarily observed. Main patterns, which were described in the book, were taken into account and used in the following work. The next work used in the research is written by Garner, D., Olmsted, M. and Polivy, J and is called Development and Validation of a Multidimensional Eating Disorder Inventory for Anorexia Nervosa and Bulimia.. It investigates the cases of anorexia nervosa and bulimia peculiar for normal-weight women. It shows the main peculiarities of people who were affected by the wrong conceptualization of beauty and their body.

The issue of the great importance of social norms and influence which they have on people is investigated in the article The Sociocultural Internalization of Appearance Questionnaire—Adolescents (SIAQ—A): Psychometric Analysis and Normative Data for Three Countries by Keery, H et al.. It investigates six female samples from different countries to prove the idea of the great level of internalization of appearance. Similar issue investigates the work Parent, Peer, and Media Influences on Body Image and Strategies to both Increase and Decrease Body Size among Adolescent Boys and Girls by McCabe, M., and Ricciardelli, L. Its main aim is to determine the nature of body image peculiar for adolescents and the factors which influence its formation.

The term Body Esteem is very important for our research that is why the work by Mendelson, B., Mendelson, M. and White, D. Body Esteem Scale for Adolescents and Adults was taken into account. It researches peculiarities of the appearance and formation of the BE and main aspects of its development. To analyze the peculiarities of disorders connected with eating the work by Noll, S. and Fredrickson, B A Mediational Model Linking Self-objectification, Body Shame, and Disordered Eating was taken into account.

It suggests some research and statistics support the idea that the emotion of body shape influences the food habits of adolescents. Moreover, the article underlines mutual dependence between the feeling of body shame and investment in appearance. This issue is also investigated in the article The Effect of Social Network Site Use on Appearance Investment and Desire for Cosmetic Surgery Among Adolescent Boys and Girls by Vries et al.. It states the fact that communication in networks and difference in behavior peculiar for boys and girls lead to appearance of different ideals. Moreover, the dependence between social network site use and investment in appearance is made.

Results Section

In the course of the study, the statistical tests such as the Tukey’s Honestly Significance Difference Test should be used. The reason for employing the test in question is predetermined by the necessity to demonstrate the correlation between the body image of adolescents and the one that is suggested to the latter as the ideal one with the help of various media tools. It is essential that the above-mentioned research tool helps draw the line between the effects of exposure to certain sets of factors in different groups. In other words, the instrument in question will help measure the rates of dependency on the body image promoted by modern media among two groups of adolescents. The first group will be subjected to the influence of a certain type of media, whereas the other one will be exposed to the influence of an entirely different type.

The effects of media on shaping the body image of adolescents are quite drastic. The research is bound to show that the body image promoted by media is perceived as positive in most cases, which prompts adolescents to the immediate comparison between the ideal body image and their body characteristics. It is expected that the study will prove that in case the results do not coincide with the ones that are promoted by modern media as the acceptable ones, young people attempt at shaping their look.

The specified phenomenon can explain the popularity of plastic surgery among young people as the tool for altering their appearance so that they could resemble the ideal image foisted on them by the popular media. It is assumed that the test results will demonstrate the dependency of young people on the opinions promoted to them by modern media. More importantly, both groups are likely to display a similar tendency to copy the images suggested to them as the ideal ones.

Internal and External Validity

Among the key factors, which may affect the supposed results of the study and, therefore, jeopardize the veracity of the research outcomes, the individual characteristics of each member of the groups and their convictions deserve to be mentioned. It would be naïve to assume that each of the participants will be fully open to new ideas and experiments with their image. In case the ideas, which are foisted onto them by the modern media, are not compatible with their own vision of the world, the adolescents are most likely to dismiss these ideas, and the body image suggested without considering either as a possible part of their life philosophy.

As far as the external validity is concerned, the external validity elements such as the specific setting, the unique ideas, which the participants were introduced to, and the above-mentioned individual characteristics of the research members can be viewed as the impediments to the objectivity of the study. What will ostensibly affect the two groups of people mentioned above may have no tangible effect on other individuals.

Implications

Although the research to be carried out may not reinvent adolescent psychology as it is, it will still provide rather interesting results in terms of the effects, which media has on young people. The traditional myth concerning the vulnerability of adolescents may finally be subverted, and new areas for research may be opened. The study in question is bound to provide a basis for the further study of the means for young people to resist the obtrusive body image concept, which modern media promotes to them.

Argosy Online University (2015) Module 2&3 Readings . Web.

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Young Bodies, Images, and Social Media

• Reference work entry
• First Online: 21 August 2024
• Cite this reference work entry

• Niamh White 9 ,
• Amy Dobson 5 ,
• Julia Coffey 6 ,
• Ros Gill 7 ,
• Akane Kanai 4 &
• Kiah Hawker 8  

This chapter maps a number of significant shifts and trends in recent scholarship about young people and digital media cultures. We foreground new and emerging research on young people’s image production, with a particular focus on young femininities. The chapter is divided into three parts. In the first part, we offer a brief review of the research about sexualization, femininities, normative beauty standards, and the media. Next, we chart the turn to an interest in self-images as communication, highlighting the ephemeral and affectively charged nature of body imaging, and the shift towards curating and editing the self, and tensions between the dual demands for “authenticity” and “perfection.” The chapter then presents a case study of the Kardashians to highlight debates about gendered and racialized ideals and authenticity.

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This research was funded by the Australian Research Council Discovery Project scheme, DP220100152.

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Akane Kanai

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Julia Coffey

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White, N., Dobson, A., Coffey, J., Gill, R., Kanai, A., Hawker, K. (2024). Young Bodies, Images, and Social Media. In: Wyn, J., Cahill, H., Cuervo, H. (eds) Handbook of Children and Youth Studies. Springer, Singapore. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-99-8606-4_135

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