#body-image — Public Fediverse posts

DATE: July 15, 2026 at 08:00PM
SOURCE: PSYPOST.ORG

** Research quality varies widely from fantastic to small exploratory studies. Please check research methods when conclusions are very important to you. **
-------------------------------------------------

TITLE: Researchers identify risk factors for addictive use of cosmetic procedures

URL: https://www.psypost.org/researchers-identify-risk-factors-for-addictive-use-of-cosmetic-procedures/

A recent study published in the Journal of Health Psychology suggests that repeated engagement in cosmetic procedures can take on addiction-like qualities for a notable portion of women. The findings provide evidence that low body esteem and problematic social media habits are strongly linked to this compulsive behavior. These insights help explain how digital environments and personal insecurities might interact to encourage repetitive aesthetic treatments.

The research team included Vera Skvirsky, Uri Lifshin, Dvora Shmulewitz, and Mario Mikulincer from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem and the Israel Center for Addiction and Mental Health. They sought to understand the psychological mechanisms associated with repeated cosmetic interventions.

Cosmetic procedures are elective interventions meant to alter a person’s physical appearance. These include surgical operations like liposuction as well as non-surgical treatments like Botox injections. Between 2019 and 2023, the global use of these procedures increased by about forty percent.

With this rapid growth, mental health professionals have started to notice patterns of behavior that resemble addiction. Addiction is typically defined as a compulsive drive to engage in a rewarding behavior despite experiencing negative consequences. Behavioral addictions share many psychological mechanisms with traditional substance abuse, including cravings, habitual actions, and a loss of self-control.

The authors wanted to assess how prevalent this addictive cosmetic behavior might be in a general population. They also aimed to identify specific personality and behavioral factors that might put individuals at a higher risk. They focused particularly on the potential impacts of problematic social media use and body esteem, which is a person’s overall satisfaction with their own physical appearance.

Social media platforms rely heavily on visual content and interactive features like comments and likes. Previous research tends to show that heavy use of these platforms can negatively influence how people view their bodies. The researchers hypothesized that this combination of digital pressure and physical dissatisfaction might make some individuals more vulnerable to pursuing repeated aesthetic treatments.

To explore these relationships, the scientists recruited a sample of 1,614 Jewish women in Israel. The participants ranged in age from 25 to 71 years old. The sample was specifically constructed to match the broader adult female Jewish population in Israel in terms of age and religious observance.

The data was collected through an online survey platform in February 2025. Participants answered a variety of questions regarding their demographic background, their religious affiliation, and their history of cosmetic procedures. Out of the total sample, 710 women reported having undergone at least one cosmetic procedure in the past.

The researchers used an adapted psychological assessment originally designed to diagnose substance-use disorders to measure addictive cosmetic behaviors. This questionnaire asked participants if they had ever tried to stop having procedures but failed, or if they felt a compulsive need to continue despite negative physical or psychological effects. The women who had previous procedures answered these questions based on their lifetime experiences as well as their experiences over the past year.

All participants also completed a battery of psychological questionnaires. These tools measured global self-esteem, which is a person’s overall sense of self-worth. They also measured attachment security, a psychological concept describing how confident a person feels about receiving support from loved ones during times of need.

Other surveys assessed attitudes toward aging and feminist beliefs, specifically measuring the rejection of traditional, passive gender roles. Finally, the authors used a recognized assessment tool to gauge problematic social media behavior over the past twelve months. This tool measures habits such as feeling a constant urge to log on or experiencing distress when disconnected.

The data analysis revealed that addiction-like behavior related to cosmetic treatments is relatively common. Among the 710 women who had previously undergone cosmetic procedures, 20 percent met the threshold for a moderate to severe risk of addictive use over their lifetime. Additionally, 15.4 percent reported experiencing these moderate to severe symptoms within the past year alone.

When looking at the entire sample of 1,614 women, nearly nine percent showed signs of moderate to severe risk during their lifetime. About seven percent exhibited these signs in the past year. Interestingly, the researchers found no significant differences in these risk levels across different age groups or education levels.

Religious affiliation did show a statistical connection to the results within the full sample. Women who identified as traditional reported higher risk scores for addictive behavior than those who identified as secular. Both of these groups scored higher than women who identified as religious or ultra-orthodox.

The statistical models highlighted three specific variables that had unique associations with addictive cosmetic behaviors. Lower body esteem, higher levels of problematic social media use, and weaker feminist attitudes were all linked to higher addiction risk scores. Global self-esteem, attachment security, and negative views on aging did not show unique statistical associations when all factors were analyzed together.

The scientists also found a notable interaction between social media habits and body image. For women who reported high levels of problematic social media use, having low body esteem was strongly associated with a higher risk for addictive cosmetic behaviors. This association did not exist among women who used social media less obsessively, suggesting that digital habits might amplify the negative effects of poor body image.

Readers should note that this study relies on cross-sectional data, meaning all information was collected at a single point in time. This design makes it impossible to prove cause and effect. It remains unknown if problematic social media use directly causes an increase in addictive cosmetic behaviors, or if an underlying psychological issue drives both habits simultaneously.

Another limitation is the study’s reliance on a specific demographic group. The sample only included Jewish Israeli women who were active on an online survey panel. These participants might have higher average internet usage than the general population, which could potentially inflate the observed links between digital habits and cosmetic procedures.

The researchers relied entirely on self-reported questionnaires to gauge addiction levels. These self-assessments can sometimes be influenced by personal biases or memory errors. Future studies might incorporate more objective measurements, such as tracking actual financial expenditures on procedures or conducting formal clinical interviews to assess psychological distress.

Future research should also expand to include men, transgender individuals, and non-binary individuals to see if these patterns hold across different gender identities. Exploring specific psychiatric conditions, such as body dysmorphic disorder, would also provide a deeper understanding of the mental health factors at play. Body dysmorphic disorder is a mental health condition where a person spends a lot of time worrying about flaws in their appearance that are often unnoticeable to others.

Investigating the specific types of cosmetic treatments might yield more detailed insights. The current study did not distinguish between major invasive surgeries and minor non-invasive treatments. Distinguishing between a single surgical procedure and repeated minor treatments might help clarify the exact nature of this emerging behavioral addiction.

The study, “Prevalence of addictive use of cosmetic procedures and risk factors among Israeli women,” was authored by Vera Skvirsky, Uri Lifshin, Dvora Shmulewitz, and Mario Mikulincer.

URL: https://www.psypost.org/researchers-identify-risk-factors-for-addictive-use-of-cosmetic-procedures/

-------------------------------------------------

Private, vetted email list for mental health professionals: https://www.clinicians-exchange.org

Unofficial Psychology Today Xitter to toot feed at Psych Today Unofficial Bot @PTUnofficialBot

-------------------------------------------------

#psychology #counseling #socialwork #psychotherapy @psychotherapist @psychotherapists @psychology @socialpsych @socialwork @psychiatry #mentalhealth #psychiatry #healthcare #depression #psychotherapist #CosmeticProceduresAddiction #BodyEsteem #SocialMediaEffects #DigitalPressure # cosmeticprocedures #MentalHealthAwareness #SelfEsteemMatters #WomenHealth #BodyImage #AddictionRiskFactors

DATE: July 15, 2026 at 08:00PM
SOURCE: PSYPOST.ORG

** Research quality varies widely from fantastic to small exploratory studies. Please check research methods when conclusions are very important to you. **
-------------------------------------------------

TITLE: Researchers identify risk factors for addictive use of cosmetic procedures

URL: https://www.psypost.org/researchers-identify-risk-factors-for-addictive-use-of-cosmetic-procedures/

A recent study published in the Journal of Health Psychology suggests that repeated engagement in cosmetic procedures can take on addiction-like qualities for a notable portion of women. The findings provide evidence that low body esteem and problematic social media habits are strongly linked to this compulsive behavior. These insights help explain how digital environments and personal insecurities might interact to encourage repetitive aesthetic treatments.

The research team included Vera Skvirsky, Uri Lifshin, Dvora Shmulewitz, and Mario Mikulincer from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem and the Israel Center for Addiction and Mental Health. They sought to understand the psychological mechanisms associated with repeated cosmetic interventions.

Cosmetic procedures are elective interventions meant to alter a person’s physical appearance. These include surgical operations like liposuction as well as non-surgical treatments like Botox injections. Between 2019 and 2023, the global use of these procedures increased by about forty percent.

With this rapid growth, mental health professionals have started to notice patterns of behavior that resemble addiction. Addiction is typically defined as a compulsive drive to engage in a rewarding behavior despite experiencing negative consequences. Behavioral addictions share many psychological mechanisms with traditional substance abuse, including cravings, habitual actions, and a loss of self-control.

The authors wanted to assess how prevalent this addictive cosmetic behavior might be in a general population. They also aimed to identify specific personality and behavioral factors that might put individuals at a higher risk. They focused particularly on the potential impacts of problematic social media use and body esteem, which is a person’s overall satisfaction with their own physical appearance.

Social media platforms rely heavily on visual content and interactive features like comments and likes. Previous research tends to show that heavy use of these platforms can negatively influence how people view their bodies. The researchers hypothesized that this combination of digital pressure and physical dissatisfaction might make some individuals more vulnerable to pursuing repeated aesthetic treatments.

To explore these relationships, the scientists recruited a sample of 1,614 Jewish women in Israel. The participants ranged in age from 25 to 71 years old. The sample was specifically constructed to match the broader adult female Jewish population in Israel in terms of age and religious observance.

The data was collected through an online survey platform in February 2025. Participants answered a variety of questions regarding their demographic background, their religious affiliation, and their history of cosmetic procedures. Out of the total sample, 710 women reported having undergone at least one cosmetic procedure in the past.

The researchers used an adapted psychological assessment originally designed to diagnose substance-use disorders to measure addictive cosmetic behaviors. This questionnaire asked participants if they had ever tried to stop having procedures but failed, or if they felt a compulsive need to continue despite negative physical or psychological effects. The women who had previous procedures answered these questions based on their lifetime experiences as well as their experiences over the past year.

All participants also completed a battery of psychological questionnaires. These tools measured global self-esteem, which is a person’s overall sense of self-worth. They also measured attachment security, a psychological concept describing how confident a person feels about receiving support from loved ones during times of need.

Other surveys assessed attitudes toward aging and feminist beliefs, specifically measuring the rejection of traditional, passive gender roles. Finally, the authors used a recognized assessment tool to gauge problematic social media behavior over the past twelve months. This tool measures habits such as feeling a constant urge to log on or experiencing distress when disconnected.

The data analysis revealed that addiction-like behavior related to cosmetic treatments is relatively common. Among the 710 women who had previously undergone cosmetic procedures, 20 percent met the threshold for a moderate to severe risk of addictive use over their lifetime. Additionally, 15.4 percent reported experiencing these moderate to severe symptoms within the past year alone.

When looking at the entire sample of 1,614 women, nearly nine percent showed signs of moderate to severe risk during their lifetime. About seven percent exhibited these signs in the past year. Interestingly, the researchers found no significant differences in these risk levels across different age groups or education levels.

Religious affiliation did show a statistical connection to the results within the full sample. Women who identified as traditional reported higher risk scores for addictive behavior than those who identified as secular. Both of these groups scored higher than women who identified as religious or ultra-orthodox.

The statistical models highlighted three specific variables that had unique associations with addictive cosmetic behaviors. Lower body esteem, higher levels of problematic social media use, and weaker feminist attitudes were all linked to higher addiction risk scores. Global self-esteem, attachment security, and negative views on aging did not show unique statistical associations when all factors were analyzed together.

The scientists also found a notable interaction between social media habits and body image. For women who reported high levels of problematic social media use, having low body esteem was strongly associated with a higher risk for addictive cosmetic behaviors. This association did not exist among women who used social media less obsessively, suggesting that digital habits might amplify the negative effects of poor body image.

Readers should note that this study relies on cross-sectional data, meaning all information was collected at a single point in time. This design makes it impossible to prove cause and effect. It remains unknown if problematic social media use directly causes an increase in addictive cosmetic behaviors, or if an underlying psychological issue drives both habits simultaneously.

Another limitation is the study’s reliance on a specific demographic group. The sample only included Jewish Israeli women who were active on an online survey panel. These participants might have higher average internet usage than the general population, which could potentially inflate the observed links between digital habits and cosmetic procedures.

The researchers relied entirely on self-reported questionnaires to gauge addiction levels. These self-assessments can sometimes be influenced by personal biases or memory errors. Future studies might incorporate more objective measurements, such as tracking actual financial expenditures on procedures or conducting formal clinical interviews to assess psychological distress.

Future research should also expand to include men, transgender individuals, and non-binary individuals to see if these patterns hold across different gender identities. Exploring specific psychiatric conditions, such as body dysmorphic disorder, would also provide a deeper understanding of the mental health factors at play. Body dysmorphic disorder is a mental health condition where a person spends a lot of time worrying about flaws in their appearance that are often unnoticeable to others.

Investigating the specific types of cosmetic treatments might yield more detailed insights. The current study did not distinguish between major invasive surgeries and minor non-invasive treatments. Distinguishing between a single surgical procedure and repeated minor treatments might help clarify the exact nature of this emerging behavioral addiction.

The study, “Prevalence of addictive use of cosmetic procedures and risk factors among Israeli women,” was authored by Vera Skvirsky, Uri Lifshin, Dvora Shmulewitz, and Mario Mikulincer.

URL: https://www.psypost.org/researchers-identify-risk-factors-for-addictive-use-of-cosmetic-procedures/

-------------------------------------------------

Private, vetted email list for mental health professionals: https://www.clinicians-exchange.org

Unofficial Psychology Today Xitter to toot feed at Psych Today Unofficial Bot @PTUnofficialBot

-------------------------------------------------

#psychology #counseling #socialwork #psychotherapy @psychotherapist @psychotherapists @psychology @socialpsych @socialwork @psychiatry #mentalhealth #psychiatry #healthcare #depression #psychotherapist #CosmeticProceduresAddiction #BodyEsteem #SocialMediaEffects #DigitalPressure # cosmeticprocedures #MentalHealthAwareness #SelfEsteemMatters #WomenHealth #BodyImage #AddictionRiskFactors

BBC: YouTube still recommending eating disorder videos to teens, research finds. “The Centre for Countering Digital Hate (CCDH) set up a simulated account for a 13-year-old girl viewing unsafe diet and body image content for the first time. It found one in 10 videos recommended by YouTube’s Up Next algorithm featured thinspiration, extreme calorie restriction or other harmful material, although […]

BBC: YouTube still recommending eating disorder videos to teens, research finds. “The Centre for Countering Digital Hate (CCDH) set up a simulated account for a 13-year-old girl viewing unsafe diet and body image content for the first time. It found one in 10 videos recommended by YouTube’s Up Next algorithm featured thinspiration, extreme calorie restriction or other harmful material, although […]

DATE: July 14, 2026 at 10:00AM
SOURCE: PSYPOST.ORG

** Research quality varies widely from fantastic to small exploratory studies. Please check research methods when conclusions are very important to you. **
-------------------------------------------------

TITLE: Being perceived as thin does not guarantee a female body will be rated as attractive by men

URL: https://www.psypost.org/being-perceived-as-thin-does-not-guarantee-a-female-body-will-be-rated-as-attractive-by-men/

New research provides evidence that when men evaluate the physical size of female bodies, they look first at the torso, followed by the legs, and finally the arms. The findings also suggest that men have highly varied preferences for what makes a body attractive, even though they largely agree on what makes a body appear thin. The study was published in the Journal for Person-Oriented Research.

Psychological research on body image often treats the human form as a complete, unified shape rather than a collection of separate parts. This concept is known as a gestalt, a psychological term meaning that a person perceives a whole structure rather than just analyzing individual components. When a person looks at a female body, they tend to take in an overall impression of the shape rather than studying single limbs in isolation.

A widely studied aspect of this visual assessment is the male gaze. In psychological studies, the male gaze refers to the specific visual paths and focal points that heterosexual men use when observing female bodies. Research shows that this gaze often zeroes in on specific physical proportions that signal fertility and general health.

One of the most heavily researched visual cues is the waist-to-hip ratio. This measurement compares the circumference of the waist to the circumference of the hips. A lower waist-to-hip ratio creates an hourglass shape, which past studies suggest is highly attractive to male observers. The relationship between the bust, waist, and hips creates a reference point that helps an observer evaluate the rest of the body.

In visual psychology, a dominant shape like the hourglass acts as the central figure, while the arms and legs act as the background. Scientists wanted to understand if the width of these background limbs influences the perceived attractiveness of the central hourglass figure. They also wanted to see if they could separate two competing predictors of beauty: body weight and body shape.

The research team consisted of Revital Naor-Ziv, Yaarit Amram-Veitz, and Joseph Glicksohn from Bar-Ilan University in Israel. They designed a study to test whether they could map the exact hierarchical structure of how men visually process female body shapes. They intended to see if judgments about a body’s thinness would directly translate into judgments about its attractiveness.

The scientists recruited 64 male undergraduate students from a regional college to participate in the study. The participants ranged in age from 21 to 67 years old, with an average age of roughly 30. During one-on-one sessions in a classroom, an experimenter presented these men with printed cards featuring female body images.

To create the materials for the experiment, the scientists modified standard images from a well-known psychological tool called the Photographic Figure Rating Scale. They selected three base images representing a very thin body, a medium body, and a large body. These original images corresponded to actual Body Mass Index values of 14.72, 20.33, and 29.26, respectively. Body Mass Index is a standard medical calculation based on human height and weight.

The researchers used image editing software to isolate the torsos, legs, and arms of these three base images. By mixing and matching these isolated body parts, the team designed eight unique composite images. For example, one image featured a thin torso, medium legs, and large arms. Another image combined a large torso, large legs, and thin arms.

This mix-and-match approach resulted in body shapes that lacked standard anatomical proportions. The authors intentionally created these mismatched combinations to force the participants to prioritize certain body parts over others. They wanted to see what happens when a body presents conflicting visual information about its overall weight.

The participants completed two distinct rank-ordering tasks. In the first task, they arranged the eight image cards in order from the thinnest body shape to the largest body shape. In the second task, they sorted the same eight cards from the least attractive body shape to the most attractive body shape.

To avoid any sequence bias, the order of the tasks and the direction of the sorting were mixed up among the participants. The experimenter shuffled the physical cards before presenting them to the subjects. After a participant finished arranging a set, the experimenter photographed the final sequence for data analysis.

When analyzing the thinness rankings, the scientists used a mathematical technique that maps out complex choices on a two-dimensional grid to reveal hidden patterns. This analysis uncovered a highly consistent pattern across the male participants. The men structured their evaluations of body size in a strict hierarchy. They prioritized the torso first, the legs second, and the arms third.

The men almost universally identified the image with a thin torso, thin legs, and thin arms as the thinnest overall body shape. Their subsequent choices consistently featured a thin torso paired with slightly larger limbs. Once all the thin-torso images were ranked, the men moved on to the large-torso images, once again judging the leg size before the arm size.

The attractiveness rankings did not follow such an orderly pattern. Out of the 64 men who participated, the scientists recorded 62 completely different ranking profiles for attractiveness. This indicates a massive amount of individual variability in what the men found visually appealing. The order in which they ranked thinness did not predict the order in which they ranked attractiveness.

Despite this extreme variety in the middle rankings, the two extreme ends of the attractiveness scale showed some consistency. The participants generally agreed on which shapes were the least attractive. They assigned the lowest attractiveness scores to the two most extreme figures: the image with all thin parts and the image with all large parts.

The images ranked as the most attractive tended to feature a thin torso combined with medium legs and either thin or large arms. These specific combinations produced a low waist-to-hip ratio. This provides evidence that the men favored the classic hourglass shape, regardless of the size of the arms attached to that torso.

The mixed proportions of the composite images heavily complicated the middle rankings. For instance, an image with a thin torso but large arms presents conflicting visual information about the woman’s overall body weight. Because the body parts were incompatible, the men had to carve out their own individual paths to decide what features were most important for attractiveness.

The study has some limitations that are important to keep in mind. The sample size was restricted to 64 men from a single geographic region. This relatively small group may not represent the visual preferences of men from other cultural backgrounds or age demographics.

The study design required the researchers to limit the number of composite images to eight. If the team had created every single possible combination of thin, medium, and large parts for the torso, legs, and arms, the participants would have had to rank 27 different images. Sorting that many cards would be mentally exhausting and could negatively impact the accuracy of the data.

Another limitation relates to the fact that the composite images did not look perfectly natural due to their mismatched proportions. Future studies could use advanced computer-generated models to create more realistic bodies while still isolating specific limb sizes. This approach might help scientists better understand how conflicting visual information about body weight influences visual preferences.

The findings suggest new avenues for psychological exploration regarding how men evaluate competing visual cues. Future research could investigate how a man’s own body shape and size might influence his preferences for female body types. The vast array of attractiveness rankings found in this study suggests that the male gaze is highly variable.

The study, “The Male Gaze Explored: Ranking Thinness and Attractiveness of Female Body Shapes,” was authored by Revital Naor-Ziv, Yaarit Amram-Veitz, and Joseph Glicksohn.

URL: https://www.psypost.org/being-perceived-as-thin-does-not-guarantee-a-female-body-will-be-rated-as-attractive-by-men/

-------------------------------------------------

Private, vetted email list for mental health professionals: https://www.clinicians-exchange.org

Unofficial Psychology Today Xitter to toot feed at Psych Today Unofficial Bot @PTUnofficialBot

-------------------------------------------------

#psychology #counseling #socialwork #psychotherapy @psychotherapist @psychotherapists @psychology @socialpsych @socialwork @psychiatry #mentalhealth #psychiatry #healthcare #depression #psychotherapist #MaleGaze #BodyImage #WeighPerception #WaistToHipRatio #HourglassShape #FemaleBodyAttractiveness #VisualPsychology #BodyPartsHierarchy #GestaltPerception #BodyCompositionResearch

DATE: July 14, 2026 at 10:00AM
SOURCE: PSYPOST.ORG

** Research quality varies widely from fantastic to small exploratory studies. Please check research methods when conclusions are very important to you. **
-------------------------------------------------

TITLE: Being perceived as thin does not guarantee a female body will be rated as attractive by men

URL: https://www.psypost.org/being-perceived-as-thin-does-not-guarantee-a-female-body-will-be-rated-as-attractive-by-men/

New research provides evidence that when men evaluate the physical size of female bodies, they look first at the torso, followed by the legs, and finally the arms. The findings also suggest that men have highly varied preferences for what makes a body attractive, even though they largely agree on what makes a body appear thin. The study was published in the Journal for Person-Oriented Research.

Psychological research on body image often treats the human form as a complete, unified shape rather than a collection of separate parts. This concept is known as a gestalt, a psychological term meaning that a person perceives a whole structure rather than just analyzing individual components. When a person looks at a female body, they tend to take in an overall impression of the shape rather than studying single limbs in isolation.

A widely studied aspect of this visual assessment is the male gaze. In psychological studies, the male gaze refers to the specific visual paths and focal points that heterosexual men use when observing female bodies. Research shows that this gaze often zeroes in on specific physical proportions that signal fertility and general health.

One of the most heavily researched visual cues is the waist-to-hip ratio. This measurement compares the circumference of the waist to the circumference of the hips. A lower waist-to-hip ratio creates an hourglass shape, which past studies suggest is highly attractive to male observers. The relationship between the bust, waist, and hips creates a reference point that helps an observer evaluate the rest of the body.

In visual psychology, a dominant shape like the hourglass acts as the central figure, while the arms and legs act as the background. Scientists wanted to understand if the width of these background limbs influences the perceived attractiveness of the central hourglass figure. They also wanted to see if they could separate two competing predictors of beauty: body weight and body shape.

The research team consisted of Revital Naor-Ziv, Yaarit Amram-Veitz, and Joseph Glicksohn from Bar-Ilan University in Israel. They designed a study to test whether they could map the exact hierarchical structure of how men visually process female body shapes. They intended to see if judgments about a body’s thinness would directly translate into judgments about its attractiveness.

The scientists recruited 64 male undergraduate students from a regional college to participate in the study. The participants ranged in age from 21 to 67 years old, with an average age of roughly 30. During one-on-one sessions in a classroom, an experimenter presented these men with printed cards featuring female body images.

To create the materials for the experiment, the scientists modified standard images from a well-known psychological tool called the Photographic Figure Rating Scale. They selected three base images representing a very thin body, a medium body, and a large body. These original images corresponded to actual Body Mass Index values of 14.72, 20.33, and 29.26, respectively. Body Mass Index is a standard medical calculation based on human height and weight.

The researchers used image editing software to isolate the torsos, legs, and arms of these three base images. By mixing and matching these isolated body parts, the team designed eight unique composite images. For example, one image featured a thin torso, medium legs, and large arms. Another image combined a large torso, large legs, and thin arms.

This mix-and-match approach resulted in body shapes that lacked standard anatomical proportions. The authors intentionally created these mismatched combinations to force the participants to prioritize certain body parts over others. They wanted to see what happens when a body presents conflicting visual information about its overall weight.

The participants completed two distinct rank-ordering tasks. In the first task, they arranged the eight image cards in order from the thinnest body shape to the largest body shape. In the second task, they sorted the same eight cards from the least attractive body shape to the most attractive body shape.

To avoid any sequence bias, the order of the tasks and the direction of the sorting were mixed up among the participants. The experimenter shuffled the physical cards before presenting them to the subjects. After a participant finished arranging a set, the experimenter photographed the final sequence for data analysis.

When analyzing the thinness rankings, the scientists used a mathematical technique that maps out complex choices on a two-dimensional grid to reveal hidden patterns. This analysis uncovered a highly consistent pattern across the male participants. The men structured their evaluations of body size in a strict hierarchy. They prioritized the torso first, the legs second, and the arms third.

The men almost universally identified the image with a thin torso, thin legs, and thin arms as the thinnest overall body shape. Their subsequent choices consistently featured a thin torso paired with slightly larger limbs. Once all the thin-torso images were ranked, the men moved on to the large-torso images, once again judging the leg size before the arm size.

The attractiveness rankings did not follow such an orderly pattern. Out of the 64 men who participated, the scientists recorded 62 completely different ranking profiles for attractiveness. This indicates a massive amount of individual variability in what the men found visually appealing. The order in which they ranked thinness did not predict the order in which they ranked attractiveness.

Despite this extreme variety in the middle rankings, the two extreme ends of the attractiveness scale showed some consistency. The participants generally agreed on which shapes were the least attractive. They assigned the lowest attractiveness scores to the two most extreme figures: the image with all thin parts and the image with all large parts.

The images ranked as the most attractive tended to feature a thin torso combined with medium legs and either thin or large arms. These specific combinations produced a low waist-to-hip ratio. This provides evidence that the men favored the classic hourglass shape, regardless of the size of the arms attached to that torso.

The mixed proportions of the composite images heavily complicated the middle rankings. For instance, an image with a thin torso but large arms presents conflicting visual information about the woman’s overall body weight. Because the body parts were incompatible, the men had to carve out their own individual paths to decide what features were most important for attractiveness.

The study has some limitations that are important to keep in mind. The sample size was restricted to 64 men from a single geographic region. This relatively small group may not represent the visual preferences of men from other cultural backgrounds or age demographics.

The study design required the researchers to limit the number of composite images to eight. If the team had created every single possible combination of thin, medium, and large parts for the torso, legs, and arms, the participants would have had to rank 27 different images. Sorting that many cards would be mentally exhausting and could negatively impact the accuracy of the data.

Another limitation relates to the fact that the composite images did not look perfectly natural due to their mismatched proportions. Future studies could use advanced computer-generated models to create more realistic bodies while still isolating specific limb sizes. This approach might help scientists better understand how conflicting visual information about body weight influences visual preferences.

The findings suggest new avenues for psychological exploration regarding how men evaluate competing visual cues. Future research could investigate how a man’s own body shape and size might influence his preferences for female body types. The vast array of attractiveness rankings found in this study suggests that the male gaze is highly variable.

The study, “The Male Gaze Explored: Ranking Thinness and Attractiveness of Female Body Shapes,” was authored by Revital Naor-Ziv, Yaarit Amram-Veitz, and Joseph Glicksohn.

URL: https://www.psypost.org/being-perceived-as-thin-does-not-guarantee-a-female-body-will-be-rated-as-attractive-by-men/

-------------------------------------------------

Private, vetted email list for mental health professionals: https://www.clinicians-exchange.org

Unofficial Psychology Today Xitter to toot feed at Psych Today Unofficial Bot @PTUnofficialBot

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#psychology #counseling #socialwork #psychotherapy @psychotherapist @psychotherapists @psychology @socialpsych @socialwork @psychiatry #mentalhealth #psychiatry #healthcare #depression #psychotherapist #MaleGaze #BodyImage #WeighPerception #WaistToHipRatio #HourglassShape #FemaleBodyAttractiveness #VisualPsychology #BodyPartsHierarchy #GestaltPerception #BodyCompositionResearch

DATE: July 12, 2026 at 09:00AM
SOURCE: PSYPOST.ORG

** Research quality varies widely from fantastic to small exploratory studies. Please check research methods when conclusions are very important to you. **
-------------------------------------------------

TITLE: People spending more time on social media and dating apps tend to be slightly less satisfied with their bodies

URL: https://www.psypost.org/people-spending-more-time-on-social-media-and-dating-apps-tend-to-be-slightly-less-satisfied-with-their-bodies/

An international online survey of young adults found that individuals spending longer time on social media as well as those spending longer time on dating apps tended to have slightly lower body satisfaction and body appreciation. People spending more time on social media also had a slightly higher drive to be lean, while longer time on dating apps was associated with a slightly higher drive for muscularity. The paper was published in the British Journal of Health Psychology.

Social media and dating apps have become central parts of everyday life for many young adults, shaping not only how people communicate but also how they see their own bodies. Highly visual platforms constantly expose users to carefully selected and edited images of attractive peers, influencers, and celebrities. These images often promote unrealistic appearance ideals, such as extreme thinness for women and lean muscularity for men.

As users compare themselves with these standards, they may experience greater body dissatisfaction, lower body appreciation, and stronger pressure to change their appearance. Dating apps may intensify these effects because they place users in situations of direct evaluation, competition, and possible rejection. On these platforms, profile photographs often become the main basis on which people judge one another, encouraging greater self-scrutiny and concern about physical attractiveness.

Gianluca Lo Coco, a researcher affiliated with the University of Palermo in Italy, and colleagues wanted to explore the interrelations between social media and dating app use on the one hand, and body image on the other. They hypothesized that young adults who spend more time on social media have poorer images of their bodies.

More specifically, they expected these individuals to show lower body satisfaction and body appreciation, higher acceptance of the thinness ideal, and to show a higher drive for leanness and muscularity. Their second hypothesis was that more time spent on dating apps would be associated with a worse body image as well.

The researchers conducted an online survey, polling 5,933 young adults from across the world. The largest share of participants was from the United States, followed by Spain, Canada, China, Italy, Belgium, Australia, and Japan. In total, 4,003 participants were women. Across countries, the share of female participants ranged from 58.5% to 84.9%. University students were between 73.1% and 99% of the sample depending on the country.

Study participants answered questions about whether they use social media and dating apps. If they answered positively, a question about how much time they spent on social media or dating apps followed.

The survey also contained several assessments of body image, including the Body Appreciation Scale-2, the Body Areas Satisfaction Scale, the Physical Appearance Comparison Scale, the Drive for Leanness Scale, the Drive for Muscularity Scale, and the Internalization Thin/Low Body Fat subscale from the Sociocultural Attitudes Towards Appearance Questionnaire-4. The researchers calculated participants’ body mass indexes from the weight and height values participants reported.

Results showed that 94% of participants used social media. On average, they reported spending 6-7 hours per week on social media. Women reported spending more time on social media than men. Depending on the country, between 5% and 45% of participants reported using dating apps. On average, they reported spending 1-2 hours per week on dating apps. Men tended to report spending more time on dating apps than women.

Results further showed that individuals who spent more time on social media tended to have slightly lower satisfaction with their bodies and to be less appreciative of them. They had a slightly higher drive for leanness, higher drive for muscularity, higher thin-ideal internalization, and higher appearance comparison. In other words, they tended to have a stronger desire to be lean or muscular, greater acceptance of thinness as the ideal body standard, and more frequently compared their own appearance with that of other people.

Longer time spent on dating apps was also associated with slightly lower body appreciation and a higher drive for muscularity, but also with lower appearance comparison. The associations with the drive for muscularity tended to be stronger in men than in women.

“Greater social media and dating app use may be related to poor body image and related indicators across countries, particularly among young men,” the study authors concluded.

The study contributes to the scientific understanding of the psychological correlates of social media use. However, it should be noted that the observed associations are mostly very weak and detectable primarily because the number of study participants was very large.

The paper “Investigating the relation between social media, dating app use and body image dimensions: A cross-country study” was authored by Gianluca Lo Coco, Rachel Rodgers, Emily A. Harris, Charlotte Markey, Alvaro Sicilia, Annie Aimé, Jacinthe Dion, Laura Salerno, Naomi Hayami-Chisuwa, Hannah J. White, Carolyn R. Plateau, Antonio Granero-Gallegos, Christophe Maïano, Gian Mauro Manzoni, Giada Pietrabissa, Catherine Bégin, Marie-Éve Blackburn, Esben Strodl, Matthew Fuller-Tyszkiewicz, and Marita McCabe.

URL: https://www.psypost.org/people-spending-more-time-on-social-media-and-dating-apps-tend-to-be-slightly-less-satisfied-with-their-bodies/

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#psychology #counseling #socialwork #psychotherapy @psychotherapist @psychotherapists @psychology @socialpsych @socialwork @psychiatry #mentalhealth #psychiatry #healthcare #depression #psychotherapist #BodyImage #SocialMediaImpact #BodySatisfaction #BodyAppreciation #DriveForLeanness #DriveForMuscularity #ThinIdealInternalization #AppearanceComparison #DatingApps #SelfEsteem

DATE: July 12, 2026 at 09:00AM
SOURCE: PSYPOST.ORG

** Research quality varies widely from fantastic to small exploratory studies. Please check research methods when conclusions are very important to you. **
-------------------------------------------------

TITLE: People spending more time on social media and dating apps tend to be slightly less satisfied with their bodies

URL: https://www.psypost.org/people-spending-more-time-on-social-media-and-dating-apps-tend-to-be-slightly-less-satisfied-with-their-bodies/

An international online survey of young adults found that individuals spending longer time on social media as well as those spending longer time on dating apps tended to have slightly lower body satisfaction and body appreciation. People spending more time on social media also had a slightly higher drive to be lean, while longer time on dating apps was associated with a slightly higher drive for muscularity. The paper was published in the British Journal of Health Psychology.

Social media and dating apps have become central parts of everyday life for many young adults, shaping not only how people communicate but also how they see their own bodies. Highly visual platforms constantly expose users to carefully selected and edited images of attractive peers, influencers, and celebrities. These images often promote unrealistic appearance ideals, such as extreme thinness for women and lean muscularity for men.

As users compare themselves with these standards, they may experience greater body dissatisfaction, lower body appreciation, and stronger pressure to change their appearance. Dating apps may intensify these effects because they place users in situations of direct evaluation, competition, and possible rejection. On these platforms, profile photographs often become the main basis on which people judge one another, encouraging greater self-scrutiny and concern about physical attractiveness.

Gianluca Lo Coco, a researcher affiliated with the University of Palermo in Italy, and colleagues wanted to explore the interrelations between social media and dating app use on the one hand, and body image on the other. They hypothesized that young adults who spend more time on social media have poorer images of their bodies.

More specifically, they expected these individuals to show lower body satisfaction and body appreciation, higher acceptance of the thinness ideal, and to show a higher drive for leanness and muscularity. Their second hypothesis was that more time spent on dating apps would be associated with a worse body image as well.

The researchers conducted an online survey, polling 5,933 young adults from across the world. The largest share of participants was from the United States, followed by Spain, Canada, China, Italy, Belgium, Australia, and Japan. In total, 4,003 participants were women. Across countries, the share of female participants ranged from 58.5% to 84.9%. University students were between 73.1% and 99% of the sample depending on the country.

Study participants answered questions about whether they use social media and dating apps. If they answered positively, a question about how much time they spent on social media or dating apps followed.

The survey also contained several assessments of body image, including the Body Appreciation Scale-2, the Body Areas Satisfaction Scale, the Physical Appearance Comparison Scale, the Drive for Leanness Scale, the Drive for Muscularity Scale, and the Internalization Thin/Low Body Fat subscale from the Sociocultural Attitudes Towards Appearance Questionnaire-4. The researchers calculated participants’ body mass indexes from the weight and height values participants reported.

Results showed that 94% of participants used social media. On average, they reported spending 6-7 hours per week on social media. Women reported spending more time on social media than men. Depending on the country, between 5% and 45% of participants reported using dating apps. On average, they reported spending 1-2 hours per week on dating apps. Men tended to report spending more time on dating apps than women.

Results further showed that individuals who spent more time on social media tended to have slightly lower satisfaction with their bodies and to be less appreciative of them. They had a slightly higher drive for leanness, higher drive for muscularity, higher thin-ideal internalization, and higher appearance comparison. In other words, they tended to have a stronger desire to be lean or muscular, greater acceptance of thinness as the ideal body standard, and more frequently compared their own appearance with that of other people.

Longer time spent on dating apps was also associated with slightly lower body appreciation and a higher drive for muscularity, but also with lower appearance comparison. The associations with the drive for muscularity tended to be stronger in men than in women.

“Greater social media and dating app use may be related to poor body image and related indicators across countries, particularly among young men,” the study authors concluded.

The study contributes to the scientific understanding of the psychological correlates of social media use. However, it should be noted that the observed associations are mostly very weak and detectable primarily because the number of study participants was very large.

The paper “Investigating the relation between social media, dating app use and body image dimensions: A cross-country study” was authored by Gianluca Lo Coco, Rachel Rodgers, Emily A. Harris, Charlotte Markey, Alvaro Sicilia, Annie Aimé, Jacinthe Dion, Laura Salerno, Naomi Hayami-Chisuwa, Hannah J. White, Carolyn R. Plateau, Antonio Granero-Gallegos, Christophe Maïano, Gian Mauro Manzoni, Giada Pietrabissa, Catherine Bégin, Marie-Éve Blackburn, Esben Strodl, Matthew Fuller-Tyszkiewicz, and Marita McCabe.

URL: https://www.psypost.org/people-spending-more-time-on-social-media-and-dating-apps-tend-to-be-slightly-less-satisfied-with-their-bodies/

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#psychology #counseling #socialwork #psychotherapy @psychotherapist @psychotherapists @psychology @socialpsych @socialwork @psychiatry #mentalhealth #psychiatry #healthcare #depression #psychotherapist #BodyImage #SocialMediaImpact #BodySatisfaction #BodyAppreciation #DriveForLeanness #DriveForMuscularity #ThinIdealInternalization #AppearanceComparison #DatingApps #SelfEsteem

Lizzo answers her critics: ‘I’m a fat, black, happy girl – they were always going to try to tear me down’ https://www.theguardian.com/music/2026/jul/11/lizzo-interview-answers-critics-accusations-fat-black-happy-girl-tear-me-down #Lizzo #PopAndRock #Rb #Hiphop #Rap #Soul #Music #Culture #BodyImage #LifeAndStyle

Book Review: Oddbody by Rose Keating

Rose Keating’s debut short story collection, Oddbody features macabre body horror tales with funny, dark and unexpected twists and turns.

Rating: 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

Genre: Simon & Schuster

Publisher: Short Stories, Horror, Literary Fiction, Speculative Fiction

Review in one word: Macabre

The title Oddbody is a strong signal about what lies between the covers as this collection of short stories: macabre body horror with funny and unexpected twists and turns. In the title story, a woman navigates a codependent relationship with a ghost. In “Squirm,” a daughter must tend to her father who is a man-sized squishy worm devouring himself from the inside out. If this sounds super weird…well it really is…but in a fascinating kind of way I can guarantee you!

“Pineapple” introduces a woman who makes the startling choice to have feather wings surgically attached to her back. In “Eggshells,” a waitress gives birth to an egg during her breakfast shift. These narratives are weird, fun, playful forms of body horror that anyone who loves weird fiction will savour and really love. I don’t think I’ve ever read a book quite like this, and it’s a unique and fresh take on the weird that draws me in here.

The overarching theme of Oddbody is the body itself—as a corporeal site of horror, desire, transformation, and liberation. Keating puts a powerful lens on the body anxieties that women and men have and she’s brutally honest and creepy in a way about it all. The stories are vividly rendered and enjoyable. I found this collection to be masterfully crafted, funny and so much fun to read! I would highly recommend you read it.

Rose Keating is a writer from Waterford, Ireland. She is a recipient of the Curtis Brown Prize and the Marian Keyes Young Writer Award. This collection Oddbody is a bold and surreal descent into a strange netherworld with characters who are grotesque, strange and the tender all at once. I highly recommend this collection if you want to disappear into strange corporeal places you never imagined existed!

Content Catnip

Book Review: Oddbody by Rose Keating

Rose Keating’s debut short story collection, Oddbody features macabre body horror tales with funny, dark and unexpected twists and turns.

Rating: 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

Genre: Simon & Schuster

Publisher: Short Stories, Horror, Literary Fiction, Speculative Fiction

Review in one word: Macabre

The title Oddbody is a strong signal about what lies between the covers as this collection of short stories: macabre body horror with funny and unexpected twists and turns. In the title story, a woman navigates a codependent relationship with a ghost. In “Squirm,” a daughter must tend to her father who is a man-sized squishy worm devouring himself from the inside out. If this sounds super weird…well it really is…but in a fascinating kind of way I can guarantee you!

“Pineapple” introduces a woman who makes the startling choice to have feather wings surgically attached to her back. In “Eggshells,” a waitress gives birth to an egg during her breakfast shift. These narratives are weird, fun, playful forms of body horror that anyone who loves weird fiction will savour and really love. I don’t think I’ve ever read a book quite like this, and it’s a unique and fresh take on the weird that draws me in here.

The overarching theme of Oddbody is the body itself—as a corporeal site of horror, desire, transformation, and liberation. Keating puts a powerful lens on the body anxieties that women and men have and she’s brutally honest and creepy in a way about it all. The stories are vividly rendered and enjoyable. I found this collection to be masterfully crafted, funny and so much fun to read! I would highly recommend you read it.

Rose Keating is a writer from Waterford, Ireland. She is a recipient of the Curtis Brown Prize and the Marian Keyes Young Writer Award. This collection Oddbody is a bold and surreal descent into a strange netherworld with characters who are grotesque, strange and the tender all at once. I highly recommend this collection if you want to disappear into strange corporeal places you never imagined existed!

Content Catnip

The Loveliest

The woman 
with a 
double chin 
and fat fingers
around plastic bags 
plops down 
in the seat
across the aisle 
and blocks 
my view of the
goddess 
whose magazine 
is filled with 
clothes
she'd fill out 
quite nicely.

The pretty 
and the ugly 
sit side by side
and I wonder 
who is 
the loveliest 
in God's eyes.

February 22, 2002

The Loveliest

The woman 
with a 
double chin 
and fat fingers
around plastic bags 
plops down 
in the seat
across the aisle 
and blocks 
my view of the
goddess 
whose magazine 
is filled with 
clothes
she'd fill out 
quite nicely.

The pretty 
and the ugly 
sit side by side
and I wonder 
who is 
the loveliest 
in God's eyes.

February 22, 2002

💄 Remember the catalogs? The Angels? The dream they sold? ✨
What did Victoria’s Secret teach a generation of women about beauty… and what are we rethinking today?
Read the full story here: 🪽 https://shorturl.at/XDUdO
#WomenAndCulture #beautystandards #victoriassecret #FashionHistory #jax #leswexler #JeffreyEpstein #BodyImage #bodyissues

💄 Remember the catalogs? The Angels? The dream they sold? ✨
What did Victoria’s Secret teach a generation of women about beauty… and what are we rethinking today?
Read the full story here: 🪽 https://shorturl.at/XDUdO
#WomenAndCulture #beautystandards #victoriassecret #FashionHistory #jax #leswexler #JeffreyEpstein #BodyImage #bodyissues

#bodyimage #health #fatloss #longevity #wellbeing #healthylifestyle #weightloss #nutrition #fatburner #fatburn #dietitian #fat2fit #fitness #bodypositivity https://mastodon.social/@biohackingpathway/116872045785511333

Adult Braces: Driving Myself Sane

"A road trip through rock bottom, revelation & the wild relief of reimagining what a life can hold"

Sale: $29 to $4.99

by Lindy West
Rating: 4.1/5 (299 Reviews)

#books #memoir #feminist #humor #travel #roadtrip #women #booksky #selfgrowth #bodyimage #kindle

Adult Braces: Driving Myself S...

Adult Braces: Driving Myself Sane

"A road trip through rock bottom, revelation & the wild relief of reimagining what a life can hold"

Sale: $29 to $4.99

by Lindy West
Rating: 4.1/5 (299 Reviews)

#books #memoir #feminist #humor #travel #roadtrip #women #booksky #selfgrowth #bodyimage #kindle

Adult Braces: Driving Myself S...

How I feel wearing flare pants. 😭

#PersonalReflection #FlarePants #BodyImage

DATE: June 27, 2026 at 12:00PM
SOURCE: PSYPOST.ORG

** Research quality varies widely from fantastic to small exploratory studies. Please check research methods when conclusions are very important to you. **
-------------------------------------------------

TITLE: Men and women show different psychological links between the “fit ideal” and risky behaviors

URL: https://www.psypost.org/how-the-social-media-fitness-ideal-affects-men-and-women-differently/

A modern societal body standard that values both leanness and physical muscle tone is driving unhealthy exercise and eating habits in both men and women. While both genders internalize these pressures from internet platforms to a similar degree, the psychological pathways leading to risky behaviors differ by gender. The research detailing these patterns was published in the journal Sex Roles.

Historically, researchers assessed societal body standards as separate concepts for men and women. The classic cultural expectation for women was extreme thinness, which prioritized low body weight without focusing on strength. The expectation for men was a highly muscular, bulky physique. Now, these separate beauty standards are merging into a centralized body type that researchers call the fit ideal, which appeals to a broad demographic.

This newer appearance standard requires a person to possess very low body fat along with noticeable muscle tone. Achieving this specific balance is biologically difficult for the average person. Getting highly toned often requires a calorie surplus to build muscle mass, while remaining extremely lean requires a calorie deficit to burn fat. Because these physiological states are at odds, the fit ideal is largely an unattainable goal.

The rise of image-focused internet platforms has heavily promoted this athletic aesthetic. Hashtags related to fitness motivation accompany millions of posts featuring lean and toned individuals. While often disguised as content promoting health, these images generally prioritize physical attractiveness over actual well-being. Consuming this type of media puts pressure on users to match an aesthetic that is largely out of reach.

Over time, individuals may absorb these external standards and adopt them as their own personal goals. This psychological process is known as internalization. To better understand how the modern athletic standard impacts physical and mental health once internalized, a team of researchers from Australia and Canada designed a new psychological investigation.

The team was led by behavioral researcher Robyn Louw at Griffith University in Australia, along with colleagues Caroline Donovan, Laura Uhlmann, Kyle T. Ganson, and Timothy Piatkowski. They wanted to test a sociological framework that explains how media and peers influence individual body image.

The framework suggests that social pressures lead people outward to compare their bodies to others. Eventually, they absorb the cultural standard as a personal requirement. This internal pressure is then thought to foster extreme dissatisfaction with one’s own appearance. That dissatisfaction ultimately results in disordered eating and obsessive workout routines as the person desperately tries to change their shape.

Louw and the team recruited 288 adults residing in Australia to complete a series of psychological surveys. The average age of the participants was nearly 23 years old. About 70 percent of the group identified as women. A majority of the group reported being active on image-heavy internet platforms like Instagram and TikTok, with many engaging in weekly weight training.

The surveys asked participants to rate the level of pressure they felt from their peers and from social media regarding their physical appearance. Participants also answered questions designed to measure how often they compared their bodies to others and how deeply they had absorbed the fit ideal as a personal goal. Another section of the survey quantified how dissatisfied participants were with their own physical traits.

Finally, the researchers measured the extent to which participants engaged in harmful behaviors to achieve a lean and muscular body. One measure assessed compulsive exercise, identifying individuals who felt extreme guilt when missing a workout or who exercised despite illness or physical injury. Another measure assessed disordered eating patterns specifically aimed at gaining muscle, such as obsessively tracking protein intake or feeling intense anxiety about meals.

After collecting the survey responses, the team used a statistical modeling technique to review the data. This mathematical approach allows researchers to map out a sequence of relationships between different psychological factors. Rather than just seeing if two things are related, the statistical models help determine if one factor predicts a second, which in turn predicts a third. The researchers created separate models for the men and the women in the study.

The mathematical models revealed that men and women absorbed the fit ideal to an almost identical degree. In both groups, high levels of social media exposure predicted a stronger internal desire to attain a lean and toned body. This finding confirmed the researchers’ hypothesis that the athletic aesthetic represents a common goal across genders today. Beyond this shared starting point, the psychological pathways connecting media exposure to risky behaviors diverged.

For women, the path from social pressure to harmful habits involved multiple interconnected steps. Both social media and peer interactions strongly predicted how often women compared their bodies to others. These comparisons, along with an internalized desire to be fit, regularly predicted higher levels of body dissatisfaction. As women became less satisfied with their own bodies, they were increasingly likely to report disordered eating routines geared toward building muscle.

Interpersonal dynamics played a uniquely visible role among the women in the study. Peer pressure not only fostered body dissatisfaction through external comparisons, but it also directly predicted muscle-focused disordered eating. When women felt appearance-related pressure from friends or acquaintances, they were highly likely to engage in strict aesthetic diets. This suggests that women experience intense scrutiny regarding fitness goals within their immediate social networks.

The statistical model for men painted a distinct picture. Just like the women, the men felt pressure from internet platforms, which led them to absorb the lean and muscular standard. But unlike the women, this internal drive predicted compulsive exercise and disordered eating directly, skipping the intermediate step of body dissatisfaction. For the male participants, simply feeling the need to achieve the ideal was heavily linked to obsessive behaviors, regardless of how they currently felt about their own bodies.

On top of that, interpersonal dynamics did not appear to dictate men’s behavior in the same way. The statistical paths connecting peer pressure to body image concerns and risky eating habits were notably weak in the male group. Broad cultural messaging on the internet seemed to act as the primary driver of extreme fitness habits for these men.

The researchers highlighted a few limitations in their work. Because the data was collected at a single point in time, the study cannot definitively prove that one psychological factor causes changes in another. The participant pool was also relatively small, predominantly female, and consisted mostly of college students of European descent. The authors recommended that future studies include more diverse groups to see if these patterns hold across different demographic backgrounds.

Additionally, the sample was restricted to individuals who identified strictly within the binary categories of man or woman. This restriction means the findings do not capture the experiences of non-binary, genderqueer, or genderfluid individuals. Those outside the traditional gender binary often face unique societal pressures regarding body image, making it an area ripe for expanded research.

Ultimately, this research indicates that the modern athletic aesthetic is not a neutral or universally healthy concept. While the standard looks identical for everyone on the surface, public health initiatives may need to address it differently depending on the audience. Programs designed to help women might need to focus on navigating social comparisons and peer groups. Conversely, education directed at men might see more success by directly addressing how digital media content alters individual aspirations.

The study, “Fit for Whom? Gendered Impacts of the Fit Ideal on Body Image and Behavior,” was authored by Robyn Louw, Caroline Donovan, Laura Uhlmann, Kyle T. Ganson, and Timothy Piatkowski.

URL: https://www.psypost.org/how-the-social-media-fitness-ideal-affects-men-and-women-differently/

-------------------------------------------------

Private, vetted email list for mental health professionals: https://www.clinicians-exchange.org

Unofficial Psychology Today Xitter to toot feed at Psych Today Unofficial Bot @PTUnofficialBot

-------------------------------------------------

#psychology #counseling #socialwork #psychotherapy @psychotherapist @psychotherapists @psychology @socialpsych @socialwork @psychiatry #mentalhealth #psychiatry #healthcare #depression #psychotherapist #FitIdeal #BodyImage #MuscleAndLean #DisorderedEating #CompulsiveExercise #SocialMediaPressure #GenderDifferences #FitnessStandards #MindBodyHealth #HealthEducation

DATE: June 27, 2026 at 12:00PM
SOURCE: PSYPOST.ORG

** Research quality varies widely from fantastic to small exploratory studies. Please check research methods when conclusions are very important to you. **
-------------------------------------------------

TITLE: Men and women show different psychological links between the “fit ideal” and risky behaviors

URL: https://www.psypost.org/how-the-social-media-fitness-ideal-affects-men-and-women-differently/

A modern societal body standard that values both leanness and physical muscle tone is driving unhealthy exercise and eating habits in both men and women. While both genders internalize these pressures from internet platforms to a similar degree, the psychological pathways leading to risky behaviors differ by gender. The research detailing these patterns was published in the journal Sex Roles.

Historically, researchers assessed societal body standards as separate concepts for men and women. The classic cultural expectation for women was extreme thinness, which prioritized low body weight without focusing on strength. The expectation for men was a highly muscular, bulky physique. Now, these separate beauty standards are merging into a centralized body type that researchers call the fit ideal, which appeals to a broad demographic.

This newer appearance standard requires a person to possess very low body fat along with noticeable muscle tone. Achieving this specific balance is biologically difficult for the average person. Getting highly toned often requires a calorie surplus to build muscle mass, while remaining extremely lean requires a calorie deficit to burn fat. Because these physiological states are at odds, the fit ideal is largely an unattainable goal.

The rise of image-focused internet platforms has heavily promoted this athletic aesthetic. Hashtags related to fitness motivation accompany millions of posts featuring lean and toned individuals. While often disguised as content promoting health, these images generally prioritize physical attractiveness over actual well-being. Consuming this type of media puts pressure on users to match an aesthetic that is largely out of reach.

Over time, individuals may absorb these external standards and adopt them as their own personal goals. This psychological process is known as internalization. To better understand how the modern athletic standard impacts physical and mental health once internalized, a team of researchers from Australia and Canada designed a new psychological investigation.

The team was led by behavioral researcher Robyn Louw at Griffith University in Australia, along with colleagues Caroline Donovan, Laura Uhlmann, Kyle T. Ganson, and Timothy Piatkowski. They wanted to test a sociological framework that explains how media and peers influence individual body image.

The framework suggests that social pressures lead people outward to compare their bodies to others. Eventually, they absorb the cultural standard as a personal requirement. This internal pressure is then thought to foster extreme dissatisfaction with one’s own appearance. That dissatisfaction ultimately results in disordered eating and obsessive workout routines as the person desperately tries to change their shape.

Louw and the team recruited 288 adults residing in Australia to complete a series of psychological surveys. The average age of the participants was nearly 23 years old. About 70 percent of the group identified as women. A majority of the group reported being active on image-heavy internet platforms like Instagram and TikTok, with many engaging in weekly weight training.

The surveys asked participants to rate the level of pressure they felt from their peers and from social media regarding their physical appearance. Participants also answered questions designed to measure how often they compared their bodies to others and how deeply they had absorbed the fit ideal as a personal goal. Another section of the survey quantified how dissatisfied participants were with their own physical traits.

Finally, the researchers measured the extent to which participants engaged in harmful behaviors to achieve a lean and muscular body. One measure assessed compulsive exercise, identifying individuals who felt extreme guilt when missing a workout or who exercised despite illness or physical injury. Another measure assessed disordered eating patterns specifically aimed at gaining muscle, such as obsessively tracking protein intake or feeling intense anxiety about meals.

After collecting the survey responses, the team used a statistical modeling technique to review the data. This mathematical approach allows researchers to map out a sequence of relationships between different psychological factors. Rather than just seeing if two things are related, the statistical models help determine if one factor predicts a second, which in turn predicts a third. The researchers created separate models for the men and the women in the study.

The mathematical models revealed that men and women absorbed the fit ideal to an almost identical degree. In both groups, high levels of social media exposure predicted a stronger internal desire to attain a lean and toned body. This finding confirmed the researchers’ hypothesis that the athletic aesthetic represents a common goal across genders today. Beyond this shared starting point, the psychological pathways connecting media exposure to risky behaviors diverged.

For women, the path from social pressure to harmful habits involved multiple interconnected steps. Both social media and peer interactions strongly predicted how often women compared their bodies to others. These comparisons, along with an internalized desire to be fit, regularly predicted higher levels of body dissatisfaction. As women became less satisfied with their own bodies, they were increasingly likely to report disordered eating routines geared toward building muscle.

Interpersonal dynamics played a uniquely visible role among the women in the study. Peer pressure not only fostered body dissatisfaction through external comparisons, but it also directly predicted muscle-focused disordered eating. When women felt appearance-related pressure from friends or acquaintances, they were highly likely to engage in strict aesthetic diets. This suggests that women experience intense scrutiny regarding fitness goals within their immediate social networks.

The statistical model for men painted a distinct picture. Just like the women, the men felt pressure from internet platforms, which led them to absorb the lean and muscular standard. But unlike the women, this internal drive predicted compulsive exercise and disordered eating directly, skipping the intermediate step of body dissatisfaction. For the male participants, simply feeling the need to achieve the ideal was heavily linked to obsessive behaviors, regardless of how they currently felt about their own bodies.

On top of that, interpersonal dynamics did not appear to dictate men’s behavior in the same way. The statistical paths connecting peer pressure to body image concerns and risky eating habits were notably weak in the male group. Broad cultural messaging on the internet seemed to act as the primary driver of extreme fitness habits for these men.

The researchers highlighted a few limitations in their work. Because the data was collected at a single point in time, the study cannot definitively prove that one psychological factor causes changes in another. The participant pool was also relatively small, predominantly female, and consisted mostly of college students of European descent. The authors recommended that future studies include more diverse groups to see if these patterns hold across different demographic backgrounds.

Additionally, the sample was restricted to individuals who identified strictly within the binary categories of man or woman. This restriction means the findings do not capture the experiences of non-binary, genderqueer, or genderfluid individuals. Those outside the traditional gender binary often face unique societal pressures regarding body image, making it an area ripe for expanded research.

Ultimately, this research indicates that the modern athletic aesthetic is not a neutral or universally healthy concept. While the standard looks identical for everyone on the surface, public health initiatives may need to address it differently depending on the audience. Programs designed to help women might need to focus on navigating social comparisons and peer groups. Conversely, education directed at men might see more success by directly addressing how digital media content alters individual aspirations.

The study, “Fit for Whom? Gendered Impacts of the Fit Ideal on Body Image and Behavior,” was authored by Robyn Louw, Caroline Donovan, Laura Uhlmann, Kyle T. Ganson, and Timothy Piatkowski.

URL: https://www.psypost.org/how-the-social-media-fitness-ideal-affects-men-and-women-differently/

-------------------------------------------------

Private, vetted email list for mental health professionals: https://www.clinicians-exchange.org

Unofficial Psychology Today Xitter to toot feed at Psych Today Unofficial Bot @PTUnofficialBot

-------------------------------------------------

#psychology #counseling #socialwork #psychotherapy @psychotherapist @psychotherapists @psychology @socialpsych @socialwork @psychiatry #mentalhealth #psychiatry #healthcare #depression #psychotherapist #FitIdeal #BodyImage #MuscleAndLean #DisorderedEating #CompulsiveExercise #SocialMediaPressure #GenderDifferences #FitnessStandards #MindBodyHealth #HealthEducation

Saccharine (2026)

Saccharine (2026)

A medical student who is self-conscious about her body starts taking an unknown pill – a strange sort of capsule – to lose weight. This decision triggers an unexpected and terrifying side effect, unleashing a supernatural force that increasingly takes over her daily life.

Yet another Australian film I didn’t like. Seriously!!! I think that within the first three-quarters of an hour, I already knew I was going to give this film a very low rating. My disappointment is all the greater given that the theme of eating disorders, within the context of a horror film, seemed quite innovative in the 2020s. The film does feature a few very beautiful shots, particularly of bodily fluids and the interior of bodies. Yes, unfortunately it’s reminiscent of The Substance (2024), which I hated. The film’s main flaw is that it’s a mix of Coralie Fargeat’s film and Grave (2016), which I didn’t like at all either. That’s saying something! Two female directors I can’t stand. As for Grave, it’s the carnal aspect centred on food that puts me off.

The film might have been more successful if it had been cut by a good half an hour. As it stands, it’s rather repetitive and very boring. The storyline centred on the heroine’s family, which is very interesting, would have deserved more screen time. Two parents doing their best, but their best isn’t very high. Between the father, who struggles to do anything, and the mother, who goes overboard. In fact, she reminded me of my own worries. Those mothers who are always wanting to tidy and clean their children’s bedrooms without realising that they’re intruding on a private world they can’t possibly understand. We throw things away and clean up without realising that this mess might have had its own significance, symbolic or otherwise.

We know that stories about weight will attract an audience, just as we know it’s just as easy to have a hit with a film about money. Like when people come into a fortune and decide to keep it to themselves without telling anyone else. So it’s the same with stories where someone finds a miracle solution for losing weight. These are indeed constant, permanent and eternal problems for people in our society. What a sad world!

This film is, of course, rather despicable. The subject matter is repulsive, especially when you discover what’s in the so-called miracle pills. The atmosphere is as grim as you could wish for. The lead actress is truly unsettling, which does, however, demonstrate a certain talent.

But there comes a point where it all gets completely ridiculous, and from that moment on, I gradually lost interest. It hadn’t really managed to hold my attention right from the start.

At least this film doesn’t really make you fancy a bite to eat. That’s the cool thing about it if you’re watching it with the aim of losing a few kilos! Saccharine offers nothing particularly meaty or substantial to sink your teeth into.

Forrest Gump says “Life is like a box of chocolates”, but not quite so for obese people. It’s glaringly obvious that this film lacks subtlety.

We can add a third film that I hated to the list of what this film reminded me of. Indeed, Antiviral (2012) by Cronenberg Jr, Brandon, can round off my list of a quartet of despicable films to avoid. Except for the most twisted among us, of course. Fans of the macabre, gore and grim, sickening atmospheres can rush headlong into these films without hesitation.

If the plot invokes the miracle weight-loss pill, the filmmaker would do well to find the formula for a successful pace, surprise and dramatic tension – essential ingredients for concocting genuine intellectual satisfaction. Natalie Erika James, an American, Australian and Japanese director, screenwriter and producer, is no doubt trying to show that she can shock and disgust even more than men, whilst thinking she’s doing a better job. But with slow service and bland food, it’s a definite NO!

The trio of leading actresses do a fine job. Midori Francis, Madeleine Madden, and Danielle Macdonald are quite good, but Danielle Macdonald is excellent. I would have loved to see more of her in this film. All her scenes are the best in my opinion.

Somewhere between body horror and a ghost film, Saccharine, Natalie Erika James’s third feature film, suffers from a thematic overload, tackling themes such as the cult of thinness, eating disorders and female desire. The sweetness is there, as are the intentions, but it doesn’t quite hit the spot.

⭐

Saccharine (2026)

Saccharine (2026)

A medical student who is self-conscious about her body starts taking an unknown pill – a strange sort of capsule – to lose weight. This decision triggers an unexpected and terrifying side effect, unleashing a supernatural force that increasingly takes over her daily life.

Yet another Australian film I didn’t like. Seriously!!! I think that within the first three-quarters of an hour, I already knew I was going to give this film a very low rating. My disappointment is all the greater given that the theme of eating disorders, within the context of a horror film, seemed quite innovative in the 2020s. The film does feature a few very beautiful shots, particularly of bodily fluids and the interior of bodies. Yes, unfortunately it’s reminiscent of The Substance (2024), which I hated. The film’s main flaw is that it’s a mix of Coralie Fargeat’s film and Grave (2016), which I didn’t like at all either. That’s saying something! Two female directors I can’t stand. As for Grave, it’s the carnal aspect centred on food that puts me off.

The film might have been more successful if it had been cut by a good half an hour. As it stands, it’s rather repetitive and very boring. The storyline centred on the heroine’s family, which is very interesting, would have deserved more screen time. Two parents doing their best, but their best isn’t very high. Between the father, who struggles to do anything, and the mother, who goes overboard. In fact, she reminded me of my own worries. Those mothers who are always wanting to tidy and clean their children’s bedrooms without realising that they’re intruding on a private world they can’t possibly understand. We throw things away and clean up without realising that this mess might have had its own significance, symbolic or otherwise.

We know that stories about weight will attract an audience, just as we know it’s just as easy to have a hit with a film about money. Like when people come into a fortune and decide to keep it to themselves without telling anyone else. So it’s the same with stories where someone finds a miracle solution for losing weight. These are indeed constant, permanent and eternal problems for people in our society. What a sad world!

This film is, of course, rather despicable. The subject matter is repulsive, especially when you discover what’s in the so-called miracle pills. The atmosphere is as grim as you could wish for. The lead actress is truly unsettling, which does, however, demonstrate a certain talent.

But there comes a point where it all gets completely ridiculous, and from that moment on, I gradually lost interest. It hadn’t really managed to hold my attention right from the start.

At least this film doesn’t really make you fancy a bite to eat. That’s the cool thing about it if you’re watching it with the aim of losing a few kilos! Saccharine offers nothing particularly meaty or substantial to sink your teeth into.

Forrest Gump says “Life is like a box of chocolates”, but not quite so for obese people. It’s glaringly obvious that this film lacks subtlety.

We can add a third film that I hated to the list of what this film reminded me of. Indeed, Antiviral (2012) by Cronenberg Jr, Brandon, can round off my list of a quartet of despicable films to avoid. Except for the most twisted among us, of course. Fans of the macabre, gore and grim, sickening atmospheres can rush headlong into these films without hesitation.

If the plot invokes the miracle weight-loss pill, the filmmaker would do well to find the formula for a successful pace, surprise and dramatic tension – essential ingredients for concocting genuine intellectual satisfaction. Natalie Erika James, an American, Australian and Japanese director, screenwriter and producer, is no doubt trying to show that she can shock and disgust even more than men, whilst thinking she’s doing a better job. But with slow service and bland food, it’s a definite NO!

The trio of leading actresses do a fine job. Midori Francis, Madeleine Madden, and Danielle Macdonald are quite good, but Danielle Macdonald is excellent. I would have loved to see more of her in this film. All her scenes are the best in my opinion.

Somewhere between body horror and a ghost film, Saccharine, Natalie Erika James’s third feature film, suffers from a thematic overload, tackling themes such as the cult of thinness, eating disorders and female desire. The sweetness is there, as are the intentions, but it doesn’t quite hit the spot.

⭐

Bob's Burgers making me cry because I wish my parents had been as gentle and understanding as Bob and Linda are (ultimately, after the episode drama resolves, and Linda figures out HEY I DON'T NEED TO PROJECT MY BODY INSECURITY AND MY MOTHER'S JUDGEMENT AND SHAME ONTO MY OWN DAUGHTER).

That would have been so nice. Instead of what I got. Being accused of choosing a SLUTTY HAIRCUT.

Bob's Burgers making me cry because I wish my parents had been as gentle and understanding as Bob and Linda are (ultimately, after the episode drama resolves, and Linda figures out HEY I DON'T NEED TO PROJECT MY BODY INSECURITY AND MY MOTHER'S JUDGEMENT AND SHAME ONTO MY OWN DAUGHTER).

That would have been so nice. Instead of what I got. Being accused of choosing a SLUTTY HAIRCUT.

I confronted my 52-year-old body at a naturist club (via telegraph.co.uk) Some interesting thoughts and a good read I found on the net: **I confronted my 52-year-old body at... https://magazine.clothesfreelife.com/2026/06/i-confronted-my-52-year-old-body-at-a-naturist-club-via-telegraph-co-uk/

I confronted my 52-year-old bo...

“Nakedness proves that I’m more than a job or parent”: 8 women on how naturism has changed their lives for the... https://magazine.clothesfreelife.com/2026/06/nakedness-proves-that-im-more-than-a-job-or-parent-8-women-on-how-naturism-has-changed-their-lives-for-the-better-via-stylist-co-uk/

“Nakedness proves that I’m mor...

7 years ago, news anchor had the ultimate response to man who told her to dress ‘like a normal woman’

http://web.brid.gy/r/https://www.upworthy.com/news-anchor-responds-normal-woman-appearance-ex1/

Her daughter said she doesn’t want to be ‘big’ like her. She responded with perfect composure.

http://web.brid.gy/r/https://www.upworthy.com/her-daughter-said-she-doesnt-want-to-be-big-like-her-response-ex1/

Her daughter said she doesn’t want to be ‘big’ like her. She responded with perfect composure.

http://web.brid.gy/r/https://www.upworthy.com/her-daughter-said-she-doesnt-want-to-be-big-like-her-response-ex1/

Man shares his ‘5 workouts per week’ physique. His response to the haters is beautiful.

https://web.brid.gy/r/https://www.upworthy.com/man-shares-his-physique-and-responds-to-haters/

Man shares his ‘5 workouts per week’ physique. His response to the haters is beautiful.

https://web.brid.gy/r/https://www.upworthy.com/man-shares-his-physique-and-responds-to-haters/

Diabulimia: The Deadly Thinness Secret

Discover the hidden dangers of diabulimia, an eating disorder affecting young people with type 1 diabetes. Learn how insulin manipulation impacts fat cell growth and body image in this insightful interview.

Follow @biohackingpathway for more

#diabulimia #type1diabetes #eatingdisorder #bodyimage #health #diabulimia #type1diabetes #eatingdisorder #bodyimage #health #insulinresistance #diabetesawareness #mentalhealth #wellbeing #documentary

Diabulimia: The Deadly Thinness Secret

Discover the hidden dangers of diabulimia, an eating disorder affecting young people with type 1 diabetes. Learn how insulin manipulation impacts fat cell growth and body image in this insightful interview.

Follow @biohackingpathway for more

#diabulimia #type1diabetes #eatingdisorder #bodyimage #health #diabulimia #type1diabetes #eatingdisorder #bodyimage #health #insulinresistance #diabetesawareness #mentalhealth #wellbeing #documentary

The Conversation: Looksmaxxing isn’t just a TikTok trend – it often reflects severe body image issues in teen boys and young men. “Much of the media coverage of looksmaxxing has focused on cultural dimensions, such as the misogynist ideology underlying this trend and its implications for cultural conversations about masculinity. Meanwhile, looksmaxxers with an especially large following of […]

The Conversation: Looksmaxxing isn’t just a TikTok trend – it often reflects severe body image issues in teen boys and young men. “Much of the media coverage of looksmaxxing has focused on cultural dimensions, such as the misogynist ideology underlying this trend and its implications for cultural conversations about masculinity. Meanwhile, looksmaxxers with an especially large following of […]

Tammy Hembrow Faces Scrutiny Over Online Persona

Why are followers criticizing Tammy Hembrow's photos in May 2026? Learn about the debates regarding digital editing and her public appearance.

#tammyhembrow, #socialmedia, #influencernews, #bodyimage, #onlineprivacy

https://newsletter.tf/tammy-hembrow-photo-editing-controversy-may-2026/

Tammy Hembrow Faces Scrutiny Over Online Persona

Why are followers criticizing Tammy Hembrow's photos in May 2026? Learn about the debates regarding digital editing and her public appearance.

#tammyhembrow, #socialmedia, #influencernews, #bodyimage, #onlineprivacy

https://newsletter.tf/tammy-hembrow-photo-editing-controversy-may-2026/

Followers are debating Tammy Hembrow's latest photos, with many claiming they look different from her real appearance. This is a common issue for influencers today.

#tammyhembrow, #socialmedia, #influencernews, #bodyimage, #onlineprivacy
https://newsletter.tf/tammy-hembrow-photo-editing-controversy-may-2026/

Followers are debating Tammy Hembrow's latest photos, with many claiming they look different from her real appearance. This is a common issue for influencers today.

#tammyhembrow, #socialmedia, #influencernews, #bodyimage, #onlineprivacy
https://newsletter.tf/tammy-hembrow-photo-editing-controversy-may-2026/

RE: https://mastodon.social/@GoingDownWithSundial/116534558819427892

In case you missed it. An honest blog on self-image, my constantly changing body, autism and gaining control.


https://goingdownwithsundial.com/self-image/

#actuallyautistic
#perimenopause
#menopause
#bodyimage
#mentalhealth
#autism
#neurodivergent
#aging

RE: https://mastodon.social/@GoingDownWithSundial/116534558819427892

In case you missed it. An honest blog on self-image, my constantly changing body, autism and gaining control.


https://goingdownwithsundial.com/self-image/

#actuallyautistic
#perimenopause
#menopause
#bodyimage
#mentalhealth
#autism
#neurodivergent
#aging

New Blog: Mirrors: On Self-Image, Autism, Control and a Changing Body

This is a very personal post about my life-long struggle with my weight and my self-image, from the undiagnosed autistic kid with eating issues, to the perimenopausal woman I am now.

https://goingdownwithsundial.com/self-image/

#actuallyautistic
#perimenopause
#menopause
#bodyimage
#mentalhealth
#autism
#neurodivergent
#aging

New Blog: Mirrors: On Self-Image, Autism, Control and a Changing Body

This is a very personal post about my life-long struggle with my weight and my self-image, from the undiagnosed autistic kid with eating issues, to the perimenopausal woman I am now.

https://goingdownwithsundial.com/self-image/

#actuallyautistic
#perimenopause
#menopause
#bodyimage
#mentalhealth
#autism
#neurodivergent
#aging

Met Gala 2026: Body as Canvas, Amid Whispers of a Pharmaceutical Palette

Met Gala 2026 in New York saw 'Body as Canvas' theme. Discussions arose about celebrity body shapes and possible use of weight loss drugs like Ozempic.

#MetGala2026, #NewYorkFashion, #BodyImage, #Ozempic, #CelebrityStyle

https://newsletter.tf/met-gala-2026-body-art-weight-drug-talk/

This year's Met Gala featured many celebrities with very slim figures, sparking talk about body ideals and weight loss drugs. This is a big change from previous years.

#MetGala2026, #NewYorkFashion, #BodyImage, #Ozempic, #CelebrityStyle
https://newsletter.tf/met-gala-2026-body-art-weight-drug-talk/

The Devil Wears Prada is back – and oh, those fat jokes are wearing thin | Chloe Mac Donnell https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2026/may/02/devil-wears-prada-2-fat-jokes-body-diversity #BodyImage #TheDevilWearsPrada2 #TheDevilWearsPrada #Health #HealthWellbeing #MerylStreep #LifeAndStyle #Society #Models #AnneHathaway #Film #Culture #Fashion

Simple photography lesson shows why selfies distort how you really look

https://web.brid.gy/r/https://www.upworthy.com/why-nose-looks-big-in-selfies-ex1/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=why-nose-looks-big-in-selfies-ex1

Oh so this means we don’t care about being fat, or skinny, or wide, or tall, or short, or long or black or white or blue or brown or yellow or multicolored?

Oh. Right. No... It’s just drug companies making themselves rich and us poor on our insecurities and legitimate sicknesses.

This is so toxic.

#healthcare #bodyimage #society #fatshaming #health #drugs

Lili Reinhart discusses body image pressures and inappropriate on-set remarks

📰 Original title: Lili Reinhart opens up about inappropriate on-set comment from director about her body

🤖 IA: It's clickbait ⚠️
👥 Usuarios: It's clickbait ⚠️

View full AI summary: https://killbait.com/en/lili-reinhart-discusses-body-image-pressures-and-inappropriate-on-set-remarks/?redirpost=9ea1cd43-6435-4d1c-b07c-e9efad4a60f0

#cinema #lilireinhart #bodyimage #filmindustry