suit the Western body ideal.
This impacts social media users. Studies reveal that when feeds are overwhelmed with photos of bodies that appear to meet the societal ideal, users have decreased self-esteem, experience guilt, and feel the urge to alter their diet to lose weight, increase weight, or develop muscle in the “correct” areas. Disordered eating, frequently disguised as healthy eating, results from this mentality.
Selfie-triggered body shame affects all genders, but women and LGBTQ+ people are particularly impacted.
Advertisements Of Clear Messaging About Food Impact Eating Habits
Advertising and sponsored promotions on social media are difficult to explain. Advertising on social media may be difficult to distinguish from conventional promotions like television commercials, magazine sections, pamphlets, billboards, pop-ups, and internet ads, which are dedicated to selling ideas, goods, and services. For-profit ads aim to make you buy.
You’ll see a photo of your cousin’s family and your friend’s book review on social media, followed by a sponsored commercial. If you don’t search for the grayed-out term with “Advertisement” or the #ad hashtag, you may not realize that a corporation paid for that article to be on your feed.
Ads receive a boost in your feed of people, businesses, and organizations you follow. How do ads affect eating? Several studies have examined how food and beverage ads affect eating habits, particularly in children and teenagers. Researchers found:
- Unhealthy food and beverage content promote unhealthy behaviors. Family-friendly events are used to market unhealthy meals. Digital marketing is unregulated, so readily shared information may influence eating habits and be deceptive, according to public health authorities.
- Researchers evaluated 10-16-year-olds’ involvement with food and beverage content and their use of harmful foods and drinks. They observed that youngsters who connect with food brands and online information, particularly videos, are likelier to eat unhealthy foods and beverages.
- Systematic evaluations reveal that food and brand promotion harms children’s diets and health.
- One research revealed that Instagram accounts promoting energy-dense, nutrient-poor food and drinks utilize between 6 and 11 marketing methods, most of which affect customer emotions rather than provide product facts.
RELATED: Is Social Media Hurting Your Child?
Movements That Promote Intuitive Eating, Appreciation Of Cultural Eating Patterns, And Body Acceptance Can Help Reverse The Damage Of Social Media
In mainstream health and nutrition, intuitive eating, Health at Every Size (HAES), body acceptance, and body positivity are new concepts. They may not fit your health and nutrition beliefs since they are controversial.
Social media may drive food shaming and restriction, leading to guilt, trauma, and disordered eating. However, research shows that these motions have improved mental and physical wellness for individuals of various sizes. This paper summarizes how these measures reduce social media’s harmful effects on disordered eating and body image:
- A HAES intervention reduced hunger and inhibition (a self-esteem indicator) compared to a control group.
- HAES therapies improved mental health and physical activity in a comprehensive evaluation. It also improved diets.
- Intuitive eating improved psychological well-being and reduced disordered eating in an eight-year longitudinal trial.
- Fashion and beauty advocacy, physically active depictions of larger bodies, and an emphasis on holistic wellness reveal a range of body shapes and sizes on social media. Contradictory messaging is common in community-driven movements.
Are You An Influencer, Or Do You Plan To Be?
Any internet company needs efficient social media marketing and branding. In light of this article’s findings regarding social media’s possible effects on eating habits, mental health, and physical health, it’s crucial to examine how your content will