Eating disorders are a complex mental health issue that is not easy to cure, especially for younger people. Media images promoting homogenous standard body types that are currently considered perfect in many cultures have a significant role in the development of self-esteem. As audiences often compare their physique to it. However, the fact that body comparisons take place because of social media does not mean that all users are involved in this process. As, audience’s vulnerability is also different, and users who do not have particularly low self-esteem are less likely to experience anxiety because of advertisements. Thus, social platforms are not unilaterally positive or negative as their influence depends mainly on how it is exploited. So, suppose you wish to spread a message or promote your work or company. In that case, you can use external assistance from websites such as SocialWick which offers a wide variety of services individually for each social platform.
The Definition of Body Image
Body image can be defined as an individual concept of physical appearance and can be positive or negative. Exercise motivation and behavior depend on the perception of physical appearance. Specific behavior and motives include improving or maintaining one’s physical appearance. The correlation between body image and exercise practice is related to psychological and health issues such as weight management, appearance, and body dissatisfaction, which can be considered as motivators to exercise participation. However, people with medium body weight, who view themselves as overweight, usually exercise more to lose weight than those who do not see themselves this way. Thus, there is a correlation between physical activity and psychological perception, as body image has the potential to influence exercise participation rates in positive or negative ways. Many businesses (small and large) exploit their consumer’s body image in their marketing habits. Some may even consider one of the top 6 marketing tips for successful small businesses in the fashion industry is to appeal to their consumer’s attempts in changing their body image.
Social Physique Anxiety
While negative body image may encourage a person to stay physically active, on the contrary, it may also result in social physique anxiety – the experience of pressure in the presence of real or imagined negative physical evaluation. According to researchers, the nature of body dissatisfaction is different with various features, for example, by gender. Women are more likely to consider themselves overweight when, by objective standards, they are not. Meanwhile, men are more likely to judge themselves as underweight despite the objective criteria. Individuals with social physique anxiety, mainly those who perceive themselves as overweight or underweight, are likely to avoid places and situations where their bodies may be evaluated negatively by others and are less likely to start or keep exercising. These places and attire include revealing clothing, gyms, sports teams, public environments with multiple mirrors and other exercisers, some types of exercise they will perform in public, etc. Therefore, people with higher social physique anxiety prefer exercising in private environments than in public locations.
Motives for Improvement
Statistically, most eating disorders appear after puberty and secondary school years. By this period of time, behavior and exercise intensity changes are due to mental and physical changes. Sometimes, despite the benefits of physical activities, exercises are associated with psychological issues such as anorexia and bulimia. In young adults, the effects of body mass and body image on exercise motives are different. These include interest/enjoyment, competence, and body-related motives. These enjoyment motives are essential for progression to and maintenance of actual activity, as, without them, it becomes mentally challenging to continue exercising.
Explanatory Theories
- Self-Determination theory
When individuals engage in an activity to get the benefits of the action, they have different cognitive, mental, and behavioral consequences. Thus, body weight and body image promotion motivate audiences in various ways.
- Objectification theory
It is derived from feminist theories and claims that social factors, such as stereotypical gender roles, cultural views on females’ appearance, and the media’s attempt to encourage women to view themselves as objects as women experience incompatibility between their body and culturally prominent images and feel body shame, which later results in experience lowered body esteem and disordered eating behaviors.
- Social comparison theory
Predicates that individuals compare themselves to others in order to understand and prove their social position and worth. They can compare everything, including visual traits, so when it comes to upward comparisons with a target that is far from similar to them, they do not feel competent. These negative feelings might result in anxiety, eating disorders, and depression.
- The social-ecological theory
It states that social influences come from three different sources: family, equals, and the media. The farther the source is, the more negative effect it has on individuals and their body images. Despite there is evidence to prove this theory, it is hard to apply it on social media, as individuals primarily receive the type of content they chose, so it could probably be created by peers and family members too.
