Weight Management
Roberto Sagaribay, B.A.
Graduate Research Assistant
University of Texas at El Paso
El Paso, Texas
Ariana Cervantes, M.A.
Graduate Research Assistant
University of Texas at El Paso
El Paso, Texas
Joshua Torres, B.S.
Research Assistant
University of Texas at El Paso
El Paso, Texas
Ivan Cervantes, None
Undergraduate Research Assistant
University of Texas at El Paso
El Paso, Texas
Lydia Granados, None
Undergraduate Research Assistant
University of Texas at El Paso
El Paso, Texas
Theodore V. Cooper, Ph.D.
Associate Professor
University of Texas at El Paso
El Paso, Texas
Interactions on social media are associated with body dissatisfaction and negative affect. Fitspiration is an extension of social media that consists of photos and messaging aimed toward motivating users to exercise. Instead, users are now exposed to thin and toned body which poses a threat to their own body perceptions, especially for women. Thus, the aim of the study is to experimentally assess motivations to exercise, body satisfaction, and negative mood after brief exposures to fitspiration posts in Latina college students.
Latina students (n = 477; < ![if !msEquation] >< ![if !vml] >< ![endif] >< ![endif] >= 20.81, SD = 4.35) were recruited through a web-based recruitment site. After providing online consent, participants completed a preexposure questionnaire which included a demographic survey, the Appearance and Health subscales of the Exercise Motivation Inventory-2 (EMI-2) and a State Body Satisfaction and Negative Mood Visual Analogue scale (VAS). Participants were then randomized to view either fitspiration, half fitspiration and half control, or control only images. Participants again completed the EMI-2 subscales, State Body Satisfaction, and Negative Mood VAS. Four 2 (time) X 3 (group) Mixed ANOVAs were conducted on appearance motivation, health motivation, state body satisfaction, and state negative mood.
The appearance motivation model was not significant (p = .459). For the health motivation model, the main effect of time was significant, F(1, 470) = 6.536, p = .011, such that participants reported higher scores at postexposure (M = 15.368, SD = .155) than preexposure (M = 15.161, SD = .158). The interaction was not statistically significant (p = .938). For the state body satisfaction model, there was a statistically significant interaction, F(2, 397) = 14.206, p < .01. Post hoc results revealed that state body satisfaction statistically decreased from pre- (M = 51.774, SD = 2.373) to post- (M = 47.985, SD = 2.534) exposure in the fitspiration group, p</em> < .01, and from pre- (M = 52.408, SD = 2.304) to post- (M = 46.326, SD = 2.460) exposure for the half and half group, p < .01. For the state negative mood model, there was a significant interaction, F(2, 290) = 16.659, p < .01. Post hoc results revealed that state negative mood statistically increased from pre- (M = 47.658, SD = 1.947) to post- (M = 49.612, SD = 1.946) exposure in the fitspiration group, p</em> = .041, and from pre- (M = 45.706, SD = 1.908) to post- (M = 47.635, SD = 1.907) exposure for the half and half group, p = .039. However, state negative mood statistically decreased from pre- (M = 45.554, SD = 1.999) to post- (M = 40.672, SD = 1.997) exposure for the control group, p < .01.
That there were no interactions for exercise motivation and increases in body dissatisfaction and negative mood for those who viewed fitspiration images suggests briefly viewing these images may not inspire others to exercise. Fitspiration instead may be another avenue for unrealistic body shapes to circulate and influence women’s body perception. This is consistent with past research that suggests viewing social media (Saiphoo & Vahedi, 2019) and fitspiration images (Rounds & Stutts, 2020) takes a toll on the users’ body concerns. Thus, future interventions or health messaging campaigns should be cognizant of images used as these may have adverse effects on behavior change.