Social Media’s Role in Diet Culture and its Effects on Body Dissatisfaction

Abstract: The rise in social media usage in young people has seen the rise in different disorders related to diet and body dissatisfaction. This paper looks at the different effects social media has on young people and how diet culture among influencers can negatively impact this epidemic. 

10 thoughts on “Social Media’s Role in Diet Culture and its Effects on Body Dissatisfaction

  1. Antony Schillaci says:

    Hi Lily. Thank you, this was a really interesting paper. I think both our papers look different drivers impacting the youth of today through a social media lens and especially the outcome of these being identity related problems as you put it. Makes me want to look into just how many other industries are having such negative impacts on the youth of today. I have focussed on the fashion industry – would be keen to hear your thoughts. https://networkconference.netstudies.org/2022/csm/113/youd-be-correct-if-you-thought-the-fashion-industrys-use-of-instagram-has-had-a-negative-impact-on-young-women/

    • Lily Barndon says:

      Thank you Anthony. I do believe that there are more industries that we aren’t even aware of that have a negative impact on young people- especially at such impressionable ages.
      I look forward to reading your article as I believe that the fashion industry is also a major contender in body image issues.

  2. Amber Dwyer says:

    Hey Lily, I loved reading your paper and was able to identify some similarities with points made in my own paper about how social media has been weaponised within the wellness industry by facilitating the spread of misinformation by ‘wellness gurus’. I completely agree that these days, influencers are this generation’s version of the celebrity however we as content consumers expect so much more out of influencers than we ever did from celebrities; we want to see what they wear, eat, their workout regime etc. and thus will inevitably feel that personal connection to them and be able to form a trusting relationship because we believe that we have this intimate insight into their ‘real’ lives. This is problematic when that trust is misguided and we start talking everything they say and do as gospel, taking health and fitness advice from them despite the fact that they have no qualifications in this realm. Some of the stats in your paper were so disheartening to read and really highlight how prevalent diet culture is and how much work we have to do. I think your paper scratches the surface on a much deeper issue about the misinformation circulating social media, especially within the health, fitness and wellness communities. I would love to hear your thoughts on my own paper and see if you agree with any of the key themes explored. https://networkconference.netstudies.org/2022/csm/688/social-media-weaponised-in-the-wellness-community/

    • Lily Barndon says:

      Thank you Amber! It is a concern when looking at the relationships that these influencers build with their followers. On the surface, it looks like they are building meaningly relationships and are open about their lives but there are also things below the surface that they keep hidden. This is problematic as young people have a level of trust within someone that they don’t really even know on a personal level, even if it feels like they do. This can cause a level of trust in products and advice that they are not qualified to give, especially when endorsed by a brand.
      I look forward to reading your paper!

  3. Siena Russell-Lane says:

    Hi Lily,

    What an engaging and interesting read particularly as a young adult and female myself on Instagram, i first handedly have witnessed the effects these influencers have on younger more impressionable audiences that follow them. I also wrote about influencers and their role in spreading misinformation on TikTok regarding health and fitness topics and i was definitely able to identify/pick up on key themes and points you made that i also touched on in my paper which goes to show how prevalent this topic is.

    I agree with the point you made about impressionable young people and the significant level of influence these influencers have on them particularly when promoting diet and food products to their audiences which they are getting told/paid to say by these health and fitness brands. I am aware that Instagram recently changed its transparency protocols making it clearer for followers to see when posts are sponsored by brands. Instagrams states this new feature allows for a greater level of transparency and authenticity as influencers now use a new “paid partnership with….” tag that is visible to audiences and allows them to identify which posts are sponsored and which aren’t. I’d love to hear your opinion on this and whether you think it will offer/have any significant benefits or does more need to be done?

    • Lily Barndon says:

      Hi Siena, I agree that TikTok is a big player in the industry as well.
      I have noticed the paid partnership tags on Instagram but I do still believe that it doesn’t have such a significant benefit on consumers. The reason I believe this is because although one post may be sponsored, the influencer could still be endorsing a brand’s products through stories and vlogs without disclosing that it is a paid sponsorship. I also believe that it could be easy to miss the tag when someone is scrolling so there is a chance of missing the transparency on the post. I think more needs to be done in the industry as a whole to stop unqualified people from educating a mass audience on diet and exercise.
      It is a very interesting topic to dive into though and I would love to hear your thoughts around the tags as well.

  4. Ciera Green says:

    Hi Lily,
    Thank you for creating a very intriguing paper. I really like how you mention Instagram and how it creates a false presentation of a perfect life as influencers live differently to the average person who does not always look as good as influencers portray themselves on Instagram. I definitely agree with your overall message on how influencers affect diets as they are people we tend to look up too for encouragement, advice and fitness tips. I also agree that when people have this healthy food obsession and are curious or unsure of what to eat or do, they turn to Instagram for their answers which does not always provide the most appropriate results because most influencers aren’t educated properly or qualified to be giving advice. I personally can relate to detoxifying teas as i have tried it myself from the influence of an Instagram user, being uneducated on the side effects it would have on my body, and it definitely was one of my worst experiences. It’s a shame how the results of the studies you have highlighted and examined in your paper show such detrimental effects on young teens and how naive and easily influenced we can be to trust people we don’t know and take their advice which can lead to damaging effects on our bodies.
    I found an article that was interesting to read that relates to your paper that you might like to have a look at. It acknowledges how other influencers have promoted weight loss products and how effective the results have been when promoted by an individual that is trusted and seen as a leader. It showed an increase in sales of the drug that was promoted by 21%, although when posted no side affects were revealed and people still trusted the well-known individual as social media portrays this form of relationship and connection between influencer and follower.

    https://www.proquest.com/docview/2233033627?pq-origsite=gscholar&fromopenview=true

    I would love if you could give my paper a read as we both highlight similar ideas and look at effects on body image from Influencers, with my paper focusing on Instagram as the top contender for these damaging health effects which you have discussed also.
    Overall a very good read!
    https://networkconference.netstudies.org/2022/ioa/393/instagram-portraying-fake-identities-with-content-causing-harm-to-mental-health/

    • Lily Barndon says:

      Hi Ciera, thank you for your response.
      I definitely can also relate to the diet culture of social media through detoxifying teas. It is hard to know what is a genuine weight loss aid and what is just a laxative that has been branded as something different. It is hard to highlight the long term risks of laxatives to young people when they are not marketed in such a way.
      Thank you for your link to that article, I will definitely have a look at that as well as yours.

  5. Gwyneth Gasque says:

    Hi Lily,

    Your paper was such an interesting read and I loved your topic as it is an ongoing issue as long as social media exists. I like how you’ve included statistics and it’s very informative. I completely agree with instagram becoming one of the main platforms which contribute towards diets and body dissatisfaction. It’s a real shame that influencers promote brands that don’t work they aren’t always being genuine because this can influence anyone specifically young teens and adults.

    • Lily Barndon says:

      Thank you for your insight Gwyneth. It is definitely an increasingly concerning topic, especially among young people. The disingenuous reviews from paid influencers also raises other concerns around the quality of products and if they are even safe for them to be used.

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