In the global world of social media, we continue to be consumed by online content. It shapes how we think, act, and feel.
This extends to aspects of our professional and personal lifestyles, including health and fitness. If your favorite bodybuilder performs a 3 day workout split, you likely will.
Fitspiration is a social media trend designed to inspire physical fitness and health on popular social media sites. These include TikTok, Facebook, and Instagram. The concept is simple — follow the trends and improve your fitness.
However, the results of an Australian study looking at the role of Fitspiration videos painted a much different picture. Researchers summarized that fitspiration content spreads misinformation, promotes harmful body ideals, and oversexualizes women.
Throughout the UK and Europe, YouTube will limit repeated content to combat body image issues. Tools designed to regulate online viewing better are already widely adopted in America.
The article below discusses some of the possible reasons and statistics behind these results. We discuss the role of public health and how we can promote a healthier body image as a collective group.
Key Facts From The Study
These are the key facts to think about from the recently published study:
- Most videos were posted by fitness influencers, with 60% of them presenting incorrect or harmful information.
- TikTok users (12–17 year olds) are typically younger than Instagram users (18–24 year olds). They are at a greater risk of developing body image issues.
- 91.9% of Fitspiration videos were of people. 78% of these were women and 10% were men.
- 76.4% of videos showed women as thin. 60% showed men as being an average build.
- 39.3% of women and 55.6% of men were shown participating in some form of physical activity.
From the research,
60% of videos
posted by fitness influencers presented harmful or misleading information.
76.4% of videos depicted women as being thin,
compared to 18.4% average and 5.2% large.
8% of videos showed only women
and 10% of videos showed only men.
77% of videos containing women focused on a specific body part
compared to 50% in men
How TikTok Fitspiration Causes Body Image Issues
Impact of Unqualified Fitness Influencers
Scientists from Flinders University in Australia analyzed 200 TikTok videos using popular hashtags. These included fittok, gymtok, fitspo, and fitness. Results showed that 60% of the analyzed content contained incorrect or harmful information relating to health and fitness.
Within this, they found the majority of influencer content lacked credible health and fitness qualifications. This highlights a common issue where influencer popularity outscores the accuracy and safety of the information provided.
Following their 2024 study results, researchers drew attention to the dangerous and misleading information provided by unqualified influencers. They stated the need for greater scrutiny across social media communities including TikTok.
Oversexualization And Objectification Of Women
The role of social media in objectifying and sexualizing women is well-known. Despite, this, the results of the current study suggest that much more work needs to be done.
Based on the coding data collected, results showed that 91.9% of videos were of people rather than food or other items. Of this, the vast majority (78%) were women, with 10% containing men and 12% containing both men and women.
The most common action performed by 33.9% of women was to engage in some form of physical activity. This is not surprising given the nature of fitspiration. However, the specific content focus was found to be disturbing.
Researchers discovered that more than half of the content featuring women (55.7%) involves sexualization or objectification. The main focus was on the thighs and buttocks.
Even more shockingly, 8.6% of this content promoted disordered eating behaviors, highlighting the important need for strict regulation.
Men Are Also Not Safe
While a large majority of the content focuses on women, men were also shown to be sexualized and objectified. This may potentially impact their body image, increasing the likelihood of mental health issues occurring.
Results showed that 55.6% of people-based content showed men participating in physical activity. Half of the videos featuring men (50%) showed their whole body in focus. The other half focused on a specific body part (arms and chest).
Men were typically portrayed as being muscled, often in group settings with their faces cropped out. In 76% of the content, their faces were completely obscured which left their body as the main focus.
The Role Of Public Health And Digital Regulation
With the rise in body image issues driven by poor social media management, the need for change is clear. This can be split into public health intervention and social media regulation.
Training for frontline practitioners such as doctors, GPs, and dieticians should be given regarding body image and the associated feelings. This can be communicated to parents and carers, helping them positively influence their children from a young age.
Support should be available when needed, regardless of location or country of origin. This should be carried out by qualified professionals.
Public health campaigns should focus on healthy eating and exercise for all populations regardless of weight. Taking away weight as the main message may help to reduce appearance-related bullying.
Social media companies should be widely scrutinized regarding their daily content and feeds. This should focus on the advertising and algorithms used that may lead to a focus on body image.
New social media guidelines should be developed that inform content based on possible harm rather than algorithm promotion. Social media companies should have to commit to content that doesn’t negatively impact body image concerns.
Tips For Promoting A Healthier Body Image
Body image issues remain a global health concern, especially in young populations. The tips below can be used to promote a healthier body image.
Follow Qualified Fitness Experts & Body-Positive Influencers
While misinformation and unqualified advice continue to increase, qualified experts can be used to provide useful and informative advice. Do your background research to separate the good from the bad. Look for qualifications and licenses from experts who regularly update their practice.
With this, ensure they don’t promote unhealthy behaviors, demonize certain foods or methods, or offer radical ideas. Promoting certain training methods such as a 5 day workout split is okay when it has scientific backing.
Look for body-positive influencers who promote a balanced lifestyle. Their content will be genuine, promoting the good and bad together. They will show a human element and try to help you rather than focusing on a certain supplement or sale.
Set Realistic Fitness Goals
Setting realistic goals is important throughout all of life, not just fitness. These provide structure and guidance on how to achieve long-term desires and aspirations.
SMART goals should be used for all aspects of health and fitness. The SMART framework is widely adopted and proven as a useful way to inform better goal setting. Goals that fit this should be specific, measurable, achievable, realistic, and time-bound.
Check that your health and fitness goals fit into these categories. If they do, they’re likely a good goal to follow.
Limit Comparison To Others
It’s human nature to want new things or copy a certain hairstyle or look. However, this can become unhealthy when it turns into an obsession that influences many aspects of your lifestyle.
Start by accepting yourself for who you are. Realize that you’re a unique individual with different strengths and weaknesses. Each of us has something to offer to the world in terms of skills and appearance.
Limit comparing yourself to others around you. Focus on your personal goals, aiming to do better than you did the day before. Stay focused by setting achievable targets and celebrating your small wins with your close friends.
Develop Healthy Eating Habits
Developing healthy eating habits goes a long way towards feeling better in your body and the way you look. Food is an important component of our lives, controlling how our bodies function.
Aim for a balanced diet, focusing on the three main macronutrients. These are protein, carbohydrate, and fat. Ensure the intake of these reflects your fuel requirements and bodily needs.
Focus on whole, nutrient-dense foods while enjoying treats in smaller amounts. Avoid demonizing food groups, instead focusing on the bigger health picture.
Get Active In Ways You Enjoy
Following the scientific literature is important. It provides structure to inform the way we eat and exercise. However, it doesn’t need to govern every aspect of it.
Whatever fitness methods you follow are only as good as the time you can stick to them. Beneficial adaptations don’t happen overnight. They take time to develop and earn through hard work.
Therefore, long-term adherence is just as important as the principles themselves. Getting active in ways you enjoy is important to promote this.
Find exercise modes you like doing and perform them often while sticking to the basic scientific principles. If your favorite public figure is Arnold Schwarzenegger, try the Arnold Split and see if you enjoy it.
Conclusion
While the results of the recent study are stark, they can hopefully provide a stepping stone for meaningful online change. Using the Public Health Service and implementing digital regulation provide a base to build on when combating body image issues.
Ongoing efforts should be made to support supportive fitness cultures that take an inclusive approach to all body sizes. Moving the message from body size to better health can provide a starting point when attacking deep-rooted societal issues.
Frequently Asked Questions
Start by researching their profile in more detail. Look them up online to see if they have any credible qualifications informing the claims they’re making. Current licenses may enhance their credibility.
Start by setting goals that involve physical targets that don’t concern appearance. This could involve setting a better running time or completing a circuit faster. Use these as your main focus while placing less on appearance.
While these signs might not apply to everyone, they tend to be the common ones to look out for. Possible signs include no author qualifications, no citations, and dramatic claims. The content may also be based purely on personal experience.
Set manageable targets, focusing on your needs rather than those around you. Compare your progress to your previous week rather than looking at what others have achieved. Realize that what works for someone else might not work for you.
Focus on your personal goals and needs, accepting that everyone is different. Celebrate your achievements and be grateful for the progress you’ve made. Realize that social media provides a snippet of a lifestyle someone wants you to see.
Resources
Endomondo.com refrains from utilizing tertiary references. We uphold stringent sourcing criteria and depend on peer-reviewed studies and academic research conducted by medical associations and institutions. For more detailed insights, you can explore further by reading our editorial process.
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About the Author
Chris Marshall, MSc, PT Personal Trainer
