• by Erik Sass , Staff Writer @eriksass1, October 7, 2014

Body image issues associated with social media discourage adolescent girls from engaging in physical activity including organized sports, according to a new study by researchers at the University of Flinders in Australia. The unrealistic images of women presented on social media serve to create an unattainable ideal, prompting girls to withdraw from physical activity because they feel embarrassed about their bodies, the study found. 

The researchers interviewed 75 schoolgirls ages 13-17 to identify the major factors shaping their attitudes towards physical activity and sports, including media, friends, and family. The interview uncovered a strong link between social media use and body image issues; here Facebook and Instagram were cited as particularly influential in shaping perceptions of the feminine ideal, leaving users dissatisfied with their own bodies.

The researchers specifically noted the impact of “fitspo” (“fitness inspiration”) pages showing female fitness models with, for example, “six pack” abs. Separately they also found that girls are less likely to engage in sports with adolescent boys, perhaps partly due to body image issues aggravated by social media.

One of the authors, associate professor Claire Drummond, told a health conference in Britain: “Girls will disengage in sports when they feel discouraged, self-conscious or when they are being bullied or made to feel embarrassed by a lack of sporting ability. While schools are doing the best they can, they need to be aware of the increasing role of social media in shaping girls’ perceptions of their bodies, and the impact this has on their participation in sport.”

Back in April I wrote about another study by researchers at the University of Strathclyde, the University of Iowa, and the University of Ohio, which found that Facebook use may result in an increased likelihood of negative body image issues among young women. The study, titled “Facebook and College Women's Bodies: Social Media's Influence on Body Image and Disordered Eating,” surveyed 881 college women about their Facebook use, eating and exercise habits, and body image.

The researchers examined the prevalence of negative body image among young women after looking at other people’s photos or posts, and how often subjects compared their own bodies to their friends’. Overall, young women who spent more time on Facebook were more likely to compare their bodies to their friends’ and to have negative feelings about their bodies. In fact the researchers were able to predict when subjects would have negative feelings based on how much time they spent looking at others’ photos on Facebook.