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BACKGROUND: Weight stigma is a fundamental cause of health inequality. Body positivity may be a counterbalance to weight stigma. Social media is replete with weight-stigmatizing content and is a driver of poor mental health outcomes; however, there remains a gap in understanding its potential to mitigate the prevalence and impact of harmful messaging and to promote positive effects on a large scale. OBJECTIVE: We selected musical artist Lizzo, whose brand emphasizes body positivity and empowerment, for an instrumental case study on the discourse on social media and specifically Instagram. We focused on 3 domains, including body positivity, physical health, and emotional well-being. These domains challenge social norms around weight and body size and have the potential to positively affect the physical and psychological health of people with diverse body sizes. METHODS: We evaluated posts by Lizzo, comments from Instagram users, and replies to comments over a 2-month period (October 11 to December 12, 2019). Two coders rated Lizzos posts and Instagram users comments for their sentiments on the 3 domains. Replies to Instagram users comments were assessed for their reactions to comments (ie, did they oppose or argue against the comment or did they support or bolster the comment). Engagement metrics, including the number of likes, were also collected. RESULTS: The final sample included 50 original posts by Lizzo, 250 comments from Instagram users, and 1099 replies to comments. A proportion of Lizzos content included body positive sentiments (34%) and emotional well-being (18%); no posts dealt explicitly with physical health. A substantial amount Instagram users comments and replies contained stigmatizing content including the use of nauseated and vomiting emojis, implications that Lizzos body was shameful and should be hidden away, accusations that she was promoting obesity, and impeachments of Lizzos health. In spite of the stigmatizing content, we also discovered content highlighting the beneficial nature of having positive representation of a Black woman living in a larger body who is thriving. Moreover, analysis of the discourse between users illustrated that stigmatizing expressions are being combated online, at least to some degree. CONCLUSIONS: This study demonstrates that Lizzo has exposed millions of social media users to messages about body positivity and provided more visibility for conversations about weight and shape. Future research should examine the extent to which body positive messages can lead to greater acceptance of individuals living in larger bodies. Instagram and other social media platforms should consider ways to reduce body-shaming content while finding ways to promote content that features diverse bodies. Shifting the landscape of social media could decrease stereotypes about weight and shape while increasing dialog about the need for greater acceptance and inclusion of people with diverse bodies.

Background: To date, over 1.3 billion videos with the hashtag #bodyneutrality have been viewed on TikTok. Despite this, little existing literature has unpacked how body neutrality is conceptualised on TikTok. We examined how TikTok creators construct meaning and generate discourse surrounding #bodyneutrality. Methods: Extending on previous works in the body neutrality space, we conducted a hybrid content/thematic analysis of TikTok videos in three different languages (English, Spanish, and Italian). Initially, 300 videos displaying "#bodyneutrality" were identified on TikTok. The first 178 TikTok videos were analysed, following the principles of data saturation and feasibility. Results: We developed three themes: (1) The normalisation of diverse bodies, (2) The rejection of appearance as fundamentally important, and (3) Body neutrality is (better than) body positivity. Conclusions: In line with conceptualisations of body neutrality in existing literature, some content emphasised the importance of devaluing physical appearance. Building on existing definitions, most creators also framed body neutrality as speaking to the fundamental humanness of owning a body and attempted to normalise various body shapes/sizes. Conversely, some content employed #bodyneutrality to promote or examine body positivity principles or to condemn appearance-based stigmatisation. Our study is one of the first to examine how body neutrality is understood and employed by people in the real world. Plain English summary: Content promoting body neutrality, often shared with #bodyneutrality, has recently become more popular on social media, especially on the widely-used platform TikTok. Consequently, the current study aimed to examine how body neutrality is represented and discussed on TikTok. After conducting a hybrid content/thematic analysis of 178 TikTok videos in English, Spanish, and Italian, we identified three main themes to describe body neutrality: (1) The normalisation of diverse bodies, (2) The rejection of appearance as fundamentally important, and (3) Body neutrality is (better than) body positivity. In the analysed videos, body neutrality content depicted the experience of having a body as fundamentally normal, natural, and human. Moreover, many videos deemphasized the importance placed on beauty in favour of individual characteristics (e.g., hobbies). Finally, some videos compared body neutrality with body positivity, highlighting similarities and differences between the two. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

By depicting an unrealistic share of skinny or toned body types, modern mass media have been found to shift users' perception of an ideal body toward narrow and often unattainable standards. In response to this, the "#bodypositivity" (BoPo) movement on social media has set out to challenge restrictive body ideals, advocating for more open-minded views toward the human physique. Matching BoPo's emphasis on diversity, we hypothesized that viewing body-positive online content alters women's concept of an ideal body to encompass a broader range of body shapes (on a spectrum from skinny to obese). The results of two pre-registered experiments (N1 = 191; N2 = 266) support our assumption, connecting BoPo not only to a larger mean ideal body shape but also to a diversification of weight-related standards. We discuss our work as a crucial extension of prior research, noting that the range found in people's bodily ideals may be (at least) as relevant as their central tendency. Public Significance Statement: The results of two studies indicate that online media can effectively contribute to more diverse body ideals if they depict a broader range of body shapes as physically attractive. Specifically, our work suggests that by disrupting the frequent overrepresentation of thin female bodies in the media—for the sake of more inclusivity—women's understanding of an ideal body could be changed to encompass a larger range of weight types, potentially prompting more open-minded views and behaviors in society. For psychological scholars, the current research further underscores the importance of looking beyond parameters of central tendency (such as group averages), considering that diversity measures may be as or even more important in certain contexts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this phenomenological study was to capture the lived experiences of sizeism, or size discrimination, for fat and big men. The intention of this study was to identify the essence of fat and big men's experience of sizeism to more adequately understand how sizeism may impact the lives of these men to assist with the creation of more culturally competent psychological services and interventions for this population. A total of 10 participants were included in this study. Participants self-identified as fat or big, cisgender, and varied in race/ethnic identity and age (from 25 to 44 years). Data analysis of their experiences revealed five emergent themes: (a) accessing masculinity, (b) navigating thin privilege, (c) psychological consequences of living in fat male bodies, (d) sexual capital, (e) and fat/big as identity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Background To date, over 1.3 billion videos with the hashtag #bodyneutrality have been viewed on TikTok. Despite this, little existing literature has unpacked how body neutrality is conceptualised on TikTok. We examined how TikTok creators construct meaning and generate discourse surrounding #bodyneutrality. Methods Extending on previous works in the body neutrality space, we conducted a hybrid content/thematic analysis of TikTok videos in three different languages (English, Spanish, and Italian). Initially, 300 videos displaying “#bodyneutrality” were identified on TikTok. The first 178 TikTok videos were analysed, following the principles of data saturation and feasibility. Results We developed three themes: (1) The normalisation of diverse bodies, (2) The rejection of appearance as fundamentally important, and (3) Body neutrality is (better than) body positivity. Conclusions In line with conceptualisations of body neutrality in existing literature, some content emphasised the importance of devaluing physical appearance. Building on existing definitions, most creators also framed body neutrality as speaking to the fundamental humanness of owning a body and attempted to normalise various body shapes/sizes. Conversely, some content employed #bodyneutrality to promote or examine body positivity principles or to condemn appearance-based stigmatisation. Our study is one of the first to examine how body neutrality is understood and employed by people in the real world.

This study delves into the intricate interplay between menstrual practices and the use of menstrual products in India, entangled with religious and cultural beliefs categorizing menstruating bodies as "ritually impure." This study investigates the experiences of Muslim women using reusable menstrual products (RMP). The findings highlight a limited yet impactful group of Muslim women comfortable with RMP usage, indicating heightened emotional well-being and body positivity. Participants emphasized the need to raise awareness among menstruators to adopt ecofriendly alternatives. The study calls for further research to promote RMP usage, emphasizing eco-friendly and sustainable menstrual practices in India. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The whole person is a valued part of their dance community, and a healthy community plays an important role in the individual dancer's self-identity and social, psychological, and overall health. As a dance community, we need to do everything we can to help increase body positivity through empathetic and empowering methods that bring everyBODY together. This article focuses on practices that involve making sure all bodies are represented; encouraging social connection and a sense of community, reducing body checking, influencing positive thinking, nurturing a mind-body-spirit connection, and instilling empathy, value, and acceptance in students. These methods are likely to be trigger-free for dancers because they do not specifically target issues of trauma nor do they introduce dancers to potentially new concepts of negative self-image. Simple methods increase ease of implementation; therefore less stress is placed on the educator as well. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Obesity is commonly aggregated with indices of metabolic health. Proponents of body positivity approaches question whether body size is a determinant of health and well-being. Our objective was to conduct an exploratory factor analysis (EFA) to determine if body size measurements factor load with or independent of metabolic health measures. Methods: The EFA was conducted on n= 249 adults using baseline data from four weight loss trials (Sample 1: n = 40; Sample 2: n = 52; Sample 3: n = 53; Sample 4: n = 104). An EFA of nine items (systolic blood pressure [SBP], diastolic blood pressure [DBP], hemoglobin A1c [HbA1c], HDL-cholesterol [HDL], LDL-cholesterol [LDL], total cholesterol [TC], body mass index [BMI], body fat percent BF%], and waist circumference [WC]) was conducted with oblique rotation. Results: Three factors were retained, which produced a model explaining 87.5% of the variance. Six items loaded strongly (>0.8) under three components and were selected for retention (Factor 1: LDL and TC; Factor 2: BMI and WC; Factor 3: SBP and DBP). Conclusion: Body size measures loaded separately from measures of metabolic health and metabolic health were further split into lipid- and blood pressure-focused factors. These results support weight-neutral interventions to improve overall health and well-being. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this essay, we examine Oprah Winfrey's body as a site of cultural negotiation of body positivity, fat acceptance and the thin ideal. We analyze the intersection of race, body size, and media representation, focusing on how Oprah, as a black woman celebrity, navigates societal pressures related to body image. The rise of accessible weight loss medications ushers in a resurgence of the thin ideal, complicating the discourse around weight loss and body neutrality. Using fat studies and black feminist theories, we examine how Oprah's celebrity status is entangled with the acceptability of fat women, black women, and fat black women. By Analyzing Oprah's special "Shame, Blame and the Weight Loss Revolution," we demonstrate that Oprah's language embraces body positivity yet, the framing of the show symbolically annihilates those who are content with their large bodies. The special's focus on weight loss, coupled with the absence of positive portrayals of fat bodies, underscores a broader pattern of symbolic annihilation. Hence, we explore the converging pressures of Oprah's celebrity, desire for thinness, and attempt to represent multiple viewpoints about the weight loss "revolution." [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Research often suggests that online support groups validate their members’ experiences, but feminists and sociologists have argued that they may also embrace individualistic or biomedical perspectives. Interviews with women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), associated with weight gain, highlighted that reading other women’s painful experiences in a Facebook support group helped them to accept their bodies, but that the group was replete with unwanted weight loss advice. Making sense of these contradictions this article makes three contributions. First, the findings illustrate that the way in which online support groups validate their members’ experiences may be more subterfuge and contradictory than previously thought. Second, the observations contribute to feminist research on online body positivity, as the women articulated an ambiguous desire to let themselves be rather than sought to become either traditionally thin and beautiful or in a popular feminist spirit confidently big and beautiful. Following from this observation, the article draws on and contributes to feminist media studies discussions on post- and popular feminism, suggesting that the women articulated a barely articulable emerging structure of feeling of yearning to let go of self-transformation, which pervades official health advice, support groups and much feminist content online. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Media plays a crucial role in the portrayal of ideal beauty standards. Research has shown that social media’s influence on conveying body ideals is greater today than that of broadcast media. Online interactions with beauty content can contribute to the appreciation of one’s internal and external features. However, these interactions can also lead to sexual objectification, appearance comparisons, and body image concerns. This study sought to investigate the emerging themes of beauty studies on social media and the potential areas of study that require scholarly attention. A systematic literature review was conducted to identify studies on beauty in social media published between January 2015 and May 2023 in two databases: Scopus and Web of Science. A thematic analysis of 32 articles established the following emerging themes: body positivity, negative effects of social media, activism, makeup, and advertising. Opportunities for areas that require scholarly attention include culture and religion, gender, longitudinal studies and experiments, the need for more representative samples, and the study of diverse social media platforms. The limitation of this study is that this subject area is still growing, and articles that had not been published at the time of data collection were not included in the current study.

Social media use is rapidly expanding in terms of frequency, duration, and the diversity of platforms available. Given evidence for associations between social media use, body image disturbances, and disordered eating it is important to identify potentially harmful aspects of social media use that could serve as intervention targets. This study surveyed two demographically diverse undergraduate student cohorts in 2015 and 2022 to compare patterns in social media use, body image, and disordered eating behaviors between samples, including as a function of the COVID-19 pandemic, and to test the hypothesized moderating role of specific content consumed in the association between social media use and maladaptive outcomes. Participants in 2022 reported greater body image disturbances, more frequent vomiting and laxative use, and more time spent on a greater number of social media accounts, with significantly greater use of image-based platforms such as Snapchat, TikTok, and YouTube. Moderated regression analyses suggest that type of content consumed, but not the amount of time spent on social media or diversity of platforms utilized, is associated with body image disturbances and disordered eating behaviors after controlling for gender and body mass index. Specifically, exposure to weight loss content was associated with lower body appreciation, greater fears of negative appearance evaluation, and more frequent binge eating. Contrary to initial hypotheses, exposure to body positivity/neutrality content did not have protective effects. Findings suggest that interventions targeting negative consequences of social media use should focus on addressing content consumed, rather than time spent on social media platforms.

The salutogenic approach emphasizes the wellness of adolescents. The study applied salutogenic approach by engaging differently-abled persons for training sessions to enhance adolescents' growth mindset and body positivity; aiming to promote positive body image and growth mindset among adolescents. The sample constituted 35 adolescent students. The growth Mindset Scale and the Body image satisfaction questionnaire are the tools used to collect data. The study adopted a pre-test: post-test single group design to examine the effectiveness of the training program. It is revealed that the salutogenic approach is effective in developing positive body image and the desirable growth mindset of adolescents. There is a high positive correlation between the dependent and independent variables. The study is supportive of generalizing that adolescents should be trained to focus on their strengths and utilize their resources to have a life with purpose and meaning. Differently abled persons are deputed to the intervention with the expectation that they will be more effective in imparting the traits of growth mindset and positive body image to adolescents than persons who are not disabled. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Body image concerns among college-aged women continue to be an immense issue across many college campuses. As technology advances, it has become more common for young girls and women to edit their social media photos and focus more on their flaws. Body image has a significant impact on mental and physical health; therefore, it is vital that these concerns are addressed and fought. One movement recently used as a possible way to combat this concern is the body positivity movement. However, more research is needed to understand the impact of this movement on young women. Survey data was collected via Qualtrics from 609 students at a southeastern public university. The results were analyzed using SPSS data analysis software. Recommendations based on the data collected from this survey are provided. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Much of the existing knowledge regarding the impact of beauty ideals and body positive social media content on women's body image is based on the Western cultural context. This limits our understanding of the issue in other cultures, such as China, among others. Therefore, to address this gap, this study examined young Chinese women's perspectives on beauty ideals and body positivity in social media through a qualitative investigation. Female university students in China (N = 24) participated in individual interviews. A thematic analysis revealed four primary themes: (1) characteristics of mainstream beauty ideals in Chinese social media; (2) impact of beauty ideals on young women; (3) perspectives on the content and roles of body positivity; (4) influences of body positive social media content on young women. These findings indicate that young Chinese women are aware of the beauty ideals in social media and their negative impact on their body image. Furthermore, young Chinese women generally expressed a favorable outlook on body positivity but noted its limitations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The body positive movement—which initially set out to positively represent, humanize, and liberate fat, nonnormative, and multiply marginalized bodies—has been co-opted, commodified, and depoliticized. For the movement to have any chance of returning to its radical fat activist roots, it must shift to center intersectionality in both the forms of rhetorical labor engaged by body positive rhetors as well as the bodies on and through which body positive rhetoric gains visibility. Using popular hip-hop artist Lizzo as a timely and illustrative example, this essay suggests that intersectional visibility politics are central to the political viability and decolonial worldmaking potential of body positivity. I analyze the ways in which Lizzo’s celebrity persona engages two forms of rhetorical labor that recenter the body positive movement back onto multiply marginalized bodies like hers and envision the possibility of a fat-positive world: (1) assemblaging the big butt and the fat, Black body, and (2) resisting dominant gazing and representational practices through performances of feeling herself. In doing so, I theorize intersectional assemblaging and feeling herself as two rhetorical maneuvers of intersectional visibility that reclaim power, agency, and humanity outside of the terms offered by coloniality and the white heteropatriarchal gaze. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fat liberation movements seeking to dismantle systematic discrimination against fat bodies have been active in the U.S for over 50 years. Body positivity specifically has gained immense traction in the last decade. Recently, body positivity has been used more widely to, supposedly, individually challenge general ideologies that value thinness and fitness. Utilizing 200 posts from Instagram and 200 videos from TikTok, we examine the ways that social media frames body positivity and is an important vector for sending messages regarding ideal bodies. We find that body positivity discourse on social media is fragmented. While messages of "self-love" abound, those who are afforded self-love are those who still maintain somewhat hegemonic body standards. Additionally, we find that body positivity is also often linked to bodily changes rooted in weight loss and healthism, appropriating the original meaning of #bodypositivity particularly through the use of hashtags to influence social media algorithms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper explores the role of female social media influencers in reproducing and subverting gender norms and stereotypes. Using a qualitative methodology comprising semi-structured interviews and content analysis, we examined a broad sample of female influencers active on Instagram, YouTube, and TikTok. The results reveal a dual dynamic: on the one hand, female influencers often play a role in standardizing gender norms in their quest for visibility and recognition; on the other, some use their influence to challenge and deconstruct these same norms through movements such as body positivity. These practices are influenced by sociotechnical, economic, and cultural constraints and show that social media makes it possible to both reproduce and challenge hegemonic norms.

In recent times, Bollywood comedies have evidenced a shift in their attitude and perspective towards body image. In earlier comedies, people of different physical appearances were stigmatized. That approach has changed of late and as a result, these movies now serve as powerful catalysts for positive change in society. This article offers an overview of the transformative role played by Bollywood comedy films in contributing to body positivity and promoting self-acceptance. Through an analysis of a selection of films such as Bala (2019), Dum Laga Ke Haisha (2015), and Gippi (2013), this study explores how these movies influence individuals’ perceptions, destigmatize identity, challenge stereotypes, and advocate for self-acceptance. This study also emphasizes the role of humour as a central element to engage audiences in sensitive discussions surrounding body image. In a nutshell, this research highlights the profound impact of comedy films on individuals and how these films reshape societal perceptions from body shaming to body acceptance.

While some research has focused on menstrual sex, little work has centered the menstrual sex experiences of queer women and queer individuals assigned female at birth (AFAB) who do not identify as women. This study drew from qualitative data collected in 2019–2020 from 26 women and AFAB individuals (mean age = 30.2 years) throughout the U.S. Midwest to explore how queer women and queer AFAB individuals who do not identify as women talked about their experiences with having sex during their periods ("period sex"). Using feminist phenomenological thematic analysis, we identified six themes for how participants discussed period sex: (1) entitlement to and enjoyment about period sex; (2) period sex feels different physically; (3) efforts to minimize shame and discomfort with period sex; (4) looking for partner cues to determine feelings about period sex; (5) period sex as messy and "unsexy"; and (6) embracing vaginal sex but not cunnilingus while menstruating. Implications for understanding intrapsychic, relational, and sociocultural aspects of menstrual sex were explored, as were patterns of accommodating stigma compared to resisting stigma when reflecting on meanings of menstruation, sexuality, eroticism, queer identity, and relationships. Tensions between enacting resistance during period sex, and subscribing to heteronormative and patriarchal notions of period sex as "gross" were explored. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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The objective of this research was to investigate the effects of viewing body positive quotes on body satisfaction, body appreciation and self-objectification, in comparison with viewing body positive images or neutral stimulus amongst young women. A total of 179 participants took part in this current research, all of whom identified as female, aged 18–30. Participants were randomly assigned to view body positive images (and captions), body positive quotes or neutral stimulus (nature scenes) and completed pre- and post-measurements of body satisfaction, body appreciation and self-objectification. Results found that post-exposure state body satisfaction significantly increased in all groups, although there was not a significant difference in the magnitude of the increase between those who viewed body positive images, quotes or neutral stimulus. There was a significant increase in body appreciation post exposure, and participants exposed to body positive images or quotes had a significant increase in body appreciation post exposure, with increases significantly higher than those exposed to neutral content. Lastly, results suggest that no significant differences were ascertained in post-exposure self-objectification between those who viewed body positive images, quotes or neutral stimulus. Interpretations and implications are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article focuses on two successful Italian web personalities who work in the beauty industry and embody the overlapping between business and public identity. Clio MakeUp (Clio Zammatteo, @cliomakeup) and Estetista Cinica (Cristina Fogazzi, @estetistacinica) are two professionals whose success and personal histories are similar and different at the same time. Coming from low-to-middle-class backgrounds, they are both 'self-made-women' who managed to build two beauty enterprises (a make-up brand of the same name, the former; a skincare and beauty brand, VeraLab, the latter) tightly intertwined to their public personas. In both cases their business' success is strictly connected to two loyal online communities: Clio Zammatteo built her whole career around her online presence, starting in 2008 as the first successful Italian make-up YouTuber, reaching a large community way before she entered the beauty business with her make-up brand; Cristina Fogazzi worked her way from beautician to businesswoman, and successfully used Instagram to communicate her brand and personal philosophy, conquering a large and engaged community of followers and customers. This article will address Zammatteo's and Fogazzi's interconnected personal and professional identities from different perspectives. First, I will explore how they put themselves and their own non-conforming bodies at the centre of a communication strategy that defies conventional beauty standards and constantly connects their social media presence to their brands' body-positive and non-judgemental approach. Second, I will focus on the habit of sharing their everyday life to reinforce their public personas and their brands. Third, I will analyse how their fashion choices intersect their media presence and the conversation about normative appearance, and how they resonate with their respective communities. Finally, building on the recurring presence of their domestic space on social media, I will investigate how both Zammatteo and Fogazzi negotiated their presence, bodies and personal spaces online during the pandemic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Social psychologists have struggled with the vexing problem of variability over time in implicit bias. While many treat such variability as unexplainable error, we posit that some temporal variability, whether within persons or across society at large, reflects meaningful and predictable fluctuation based on shifts in the social–cultural context. We first examined fluctuations at the group-level in a Project Implicit data set of female participants who completed the Weight Implicit Association Test between 2004 and 2018 (N = 259,613). Extending our prior work showing that mass media celebrity fat-shaming increased women's implicit antifat bias, we show that celebrity body positivity events reduced such bias (Study 1a). We then focused on a specific form of body positivity—that is, celebrity "push-back" in response to fat-shaming. Whereas fat-shaming without antibias push-back was associated with spikes in negative weight attitudes, fat-shaming with push-back showed no change in such bias (Study 1b). Critically, however, closer analysis revealed that this apparent stability was due to the canceling out of opposing negative (fat-shaming) and subsequent positive (body positivity) influences—an effect that was obscured when the window of observation was expanded. Finally, in Study 2, we examined parallel effects at the individual level in a daily diary study. Consistent with the group-level, between-subjects data, women's intraindividual fluctuations in implicit attitudes were reliably predicted based on prior-day exposure to fat-shaming and/or body positivity influences. Taken together, our work highlights how both group- and individual-level variability across time can be meaningfully explained rather than treated as unexplainable or left as unexplained. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Family Medicine Forum / Forum Medycyny Rodzinnej is the property of VM Medica-VM Group (Via Medica) and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

This study aimed to explore the presence of body image and diet culture rhetoric in videos under the hashtag #HealthyLifestyle on TikTok. The top 250 videos under #HealthyLifestyle were categorized using a codebook of wellness topics. We conducted descriptive statistics and interrater reliability analysis. #HealthyLifestyle videos had high rates of all coded categories, including negative and positive messages about body image and diet culture. Nearly all content with positive connotations was counteracted by coexisting negative messaging. Our findings suggest that content under #HealthyLifestyle contains messaging conflicting with the definition of a healthy lifestyle. Considering the young audience consuming this content, improved nutrition education and health literacy in schools is essential. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Military Science Review / Hadtudományi Szemle is the property of National University of Public Service and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

The body-positive movement is one of many decentralized, user-generated movements on social media that seek to engender positive societal change. In support of the body-positive movement, social media users employ a variety of messages and images to advocate for more inclusive beauty standards across different online platforms. We examine how the nature of body-positive messaging (mainstream body positivity vs body neutrality), the degree to which images are sexualized (sexualized vs non-sexualized), and the platform that hosts body-positive content (Instagram/Flickr/blog) influence how people evaluate body-positive content online. The results indicate that the more participants felt messaging was body-neutral, the more morally appropriate and less self-interested they found the posts. The extent to which participants felt messaging was morally appropriate also led them to embrace more inclusive beauty standards. Moreover, non-sexualized (vs sexualized) images were rated more morally appropriate and less self-interested. Implications for promoting body positivity and other prosocial movements online are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article analyses two Finnish body positive podcasts, Jenny and the Fat Myth Busters and The Soft, zooming in on their way of discussing weight loss. Drawing on queer studies' understanding of queer time, the article discusses fat time as a nonlinear temporality, which, as a product of fat-marginalizing culture, is hurtful yet characterized by a potential to resist. The article utilizes Sara Ahmed, Rebecca Coleman, and Sienne Ngai's formulations of emotions and temporality. It utilizes the method of a situated close reading where the author's experience with weight loss works as an important resource for analysis. The article argues that fat time is characterized by "ugly feelings that stay." The endurance of feelings expands existing understandings of fatness by arguing that fat could be discussed as an affective presence beside it being viewed as a material reality. Even as the body changes, emotions such as anxiety and pessimism endure, making both the present and future fat. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There has been a lack of investigation into the understanding of social media body image movements from the healthcare perspective. Health professionals can have a strong influence on how their patients relate to their own bodies, including experiences of weight-based discrimination. This study examined the perspectives of health professionals on body image social media movements and whether they believed they were relevant to their professional practice. This study recruited 30 medical and allied health professionals to participate in semi-structured interviews. Thematic analysis was used to generate common themes across the data. Overall, participants identified benefits associated with body positivity online content, but expressed concerns for the health status of influencers with larger bodies and that overall, the pro-anorexia movement was harmful. Despite having limited understanding and exposure to the body neutrality movement, participants generally preferred it over body positivity. Finally, participants stated that they believed that these movements were relevant to their practice, yet were rarely discussed in consults. These findings suggest there is a lack of body image-based discussions despite the relevance to patient health across multiple domains. This indicates that health professionals may benefit from social media literacy training to support thorough assessment and treatment of their patients. • Attitudes of health professionals were explored given their influence on body image. • Health professionals shared worries about the body positivity and pro-ana movements. • Health professionals generally preferred the body neutrality movement. • Health professionals rarely discussed body image movements in consultations. • Health professionals may benefit from social media literacy training. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This analysis examined the content of 342 body positive videos on TikTok. Videos were gathered by searching #body positivity and coded for diversity, positive body image messages, negative appearance-focused messages, other relevant themes, and contradictory messaging. Results demonstrate that body positivity videos on TikTok often portrayed young, White women with unrealistic beauty ideals. Approximately 93% of the videos embodied Western culturally based beauty ideals somewhat or to a great extent, while 32% of the videos portrayed larger bodies. Only 32.2% of the videos contained explicit positive body image messaging, and negative appearance-focused themes or objectifying content was rare. Contradictory messaging was not present. Overall, body positive videos on TikTok rarely displayed features aligned with positive body image and promoted unrealistic beauty ideals but also rarely included explicit negative appearance-focused messaging. Future research examining effects of exposure to body positivity messaging on TikTok, in comparison to other social media platforms, is warranted. • Body positivity TikTok videos contain unrealistic beauty ideals and little diversity. • Only 17.3% of TikTok body positivity videos included explicit body positivity themes. • Body positivity TikTok videos rarely included appearance-focused themes or objectifying content. • Body positivity videos on TikTok did not contain contradictory messaging. • Research examining the effects of exposure to body positivity messaging on TikTok is warranted. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The fashion business is regarded as one of the most important industries in the world and contributes significantly to the world economy's benefits. In the era of technology, applying the right management techniques for advertising is very important to succeed among commercial competitors in competitive markets. Even though advertising has so many positive effects, it also has a negative side, such as it could create unrealistic beauty and body standards due to the marketers using attractive, slender, and tall models which promotes the ideal body image in culture. The purpose of this research is to determine how impactful body diversity in advertising affects consumers' attitude toward advertisements and their desire to buy clothes, to determine what kind of models to utilize in fashion goods commercials to strengthen consumer perceptions of advertisements and buy intent, and to explore the effects of size inclusivity as the moderating variable of diversity in advertising and attitude toward the advertisements. The methodologies used in this study were qualitative and quantitative. As a result, the purpose of this study is to determine whether or not advertising that promotes body positivity has an impact on how consumers feel about advertisements and their intentions to buy from fashion retailers, which type of model's body, a larger or slimmer one, has a greater effect on the consumer's perception of the advertising and their desire to purchase according to the customer's body type and sizes, and how size inclusivity becomes the moderating variable between advertisements and purchases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent times, Bollywood comedies have evidenced a shift in their attitude and perspective towards body image. In earlier comedies, people of different physical appearances were stigmatized. That approach has changed of late and as a result, these movies now serve as powerful catalysts for positive change in society. This article offers an overview of the transformative role played by Bollywood comedy films in contributing to body positivity and promoting self-acceptance. Through an analysis of a selection of films such as Bala (2019), Dum Laga Ke Haisha (2015), and Gippi (2013), this study explores how these movies influence individuals' perceptions, destigmatize identity, challenge stereotypes, and advocate for self-acceptance. This study also emphasizes the role of humour as a central element to engage audiences in sensitive discussions surrounding body image. In a nutshell, this research highlights the profound impact of comedy films on individuals and how these films reshape societal perceptions from body shaming to body acceptance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article situates disability within online body positivity discourses through an analysis of disabled young women's self-representation practices via the Twitter hashtag #DisabledAndCute. Body positivity seeks to challenge conventional beauty standards by incorporating previously marginalized groups, such as disabled women, into broader "economies of visibility" that includes visibility through social media hashtags. The selfie plays a vital role and is seen as a tool through which to acquire the visibility, "empowerment" and confidence required by postfeminism. Through discursive textual analysis of 133 tweets posted by young women, this article identifies the key themes and characteristics within #DisabledAndCute such as "Love your body" (LYB) discourses and body positivity; the complex relationship between feeling cute and feeling hot; and temporality and futurity. It analyzes how #DisabledAndCute upholds postfeminist LYB discourses but also exposes the limits of LYB discourses through expressions of ambivalence that offer important insights into how gender and disability intersect within body positivity discourses. This article also explores how the tweets both conform to and subvert the temporal logics of the selfie to make the disabled self legible and produce more normative self-representations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

"Body positivity" is a global movement trending on social media. It aims to challenge predominant appearance ideals in media and encourage women to accept and appreciate all bodies regardless of appearance. In Western contexts, an increasing number of research has explored the potential of body positive social media to benefit young women's body image. However, similar research in China is lacking. This study aimed to explore the content of body positivity posts on Chinese social media. Eight hundred eighty-eight posts from Xiaohongshu (one of China's most popular social media platforms) were coded for positive body image themes, physical appearance-related attributes, and self-compassion themes. The results showed that these posts depicted diverse body sizes and appearances. Additionally, while over 40% of the posts conveyed appearance-focused messages, most contained positive body image themes, and nearly half contained self-compassion themes. The study clarified the content of body positivity posts on Chinese social media and provides theoretical support for future research on body positivity in social media content in China. • Analysis of the body positivity movement on Chinese social media. • In total, 888 notes from Xiaohongshu were coded for the analysis. • Findings demonstrate that notes displayed diverse body sizes and appearances. • Notes contained the themes of body positive and self-compassion. • Notes also included messages about makeup, dressing up, and weight loss. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article investigates the practices of naming and describing bodies in plus-size women’s fashion blogs. Building on Jeffries’ (2007) work on the construction of bodies and bodily processes in women’s magazines, I explore how bloggers use language to construct their identities through references to bodily characteristics. I investigate terms the bloggers use to describe the plus-size body, as well as the connotative features of these terms. In addition, I analyse the use of three terms that were used to describe bodies that are not plus-size: thin, slim, and skinny. The results demonstrate that, while the bloggers build counter-discourse to the mainstream media discourses that construct fatness as a negative characteristic, they also maintain particular hegemonic discourses on beauty, sexuality and gender.

Fat women feel enormous pressure to be thin. This pressure is exacerbated by media portrayals of fat women that show characters who are unruly, miserable, or comical. The series Shrill (2019-2021) combats fatphobic representations by offering Annie, a fat woman, as a lead character. She is neither a punchline nor a cautionary tale. Shrill elucidates the societal stigmas of being fat without victimizing its main character. In this essay, I offer an autoethnographic critical media analysis of Shrill. I explore the Western Body Positivity movement, the effects of the United States' hegemonic beauty ideologies, and my experiences as a White, fat woman alongside Shrill. I argue though the representation of Annie is a huge step forward, some narrative arcs remain problematic. The focus on self-love and reliance on a Black character to facilitate that self-love mirror the real-life dependency on and erasure of Black women in the Body Positivity movement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In physical education (PE), learning about and with the body is central. During their physical education teacher education (PETE) program, students are presented with different understandings and practices regarding the body. However, PETE students understanding of the body are also influenced by sites beyond formal schooling. One such site is social media. There is limited knowledge regarding PETE students and their reflections on how the body is presented on social media. Inspired by activist approaches to PE, this article focuses on third-year PETE students' critical reflections about different presentations of the body on social media. The data material consists of the PETE students' visual photos, transcribed text from group conversations, and reflection logs. Working with the visual as public pedagogy of the body, our goal has been to enable the PETE students to reflect and raise critical awareness about different presentations of the body on social media and discuss how this approach can be used in PE teaching. The analysis revealed two contrasting stories about the body on social media: body pressure, and body positivity. Our research makes visible the complexities and paradoxes of social media as public pedagogy, its impact on PETE students' embodied experiences, and their reflections on how they can work with social media as future PE teachers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Body positive social media content aims to positively impact young women's body image and mood by challenging traditionally narrow beauty ideals. This online experiment investigated the effect of viewing body positive Instagram posts on young women's body image and mood, whilst focusing on understanding the impact of the images and captions in the posts. Overall, 195 young women (18–30 years old) were randomly assigned to view either body positive (consisting of images and captions), body positive captions only, body positive images only, or thin-ideal Instagram posts. Positive mood increased in all conditions pre to post exposure. Further, body satisfaction and negative mood improved pre-post exposure for all body positive conditions. However, when controlling for trait body appreciation significant effects only remained for the combined image and caption body positive condition. There were no significant differences in positive mood, state body appreciation, self-objectification, or broad conceptualisations of beauty between the three body positive exposure conditions. Therefore, to improve body satisfaction and mood, body positive content should include a combination of images and captions. • We explored the impact of body positive content on women's body image and mood. • Positive mood increased in the body positive and thin ideal conditions. • There were no changes in positive body image or self-objectification. • Body positive posts with images and captions improved body satisfaction and mood. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Encouraging prosocial tendencies toward others' physical appearance is crucial for promoting a positive body image during adolescence. Social media content that highlights positive appearance messages can significantly influence these tendencies. Hence, this three-wave panel study explored the impact of exposure to and the posting of Body Positivity (BoPo) posts and positive appearance comments on social media upon adolescents' offline prosocial behavioral tendencies towards others' appearances, as mediated by appearance-related prosocial reasoning. Using a sample of adolescents aged 12 to 18 (N = 496, M age = 15.05, SD = 1.49; 67.9% girls), the hypotheses received partial support. At the between-person level, adolescents who more often viewed BoPo and posted positive appearance comments also reported higher appearance-related prosocial tendencies. Nonetheless, on the within-person level, only more often posting positive appearance comments predicted a change to more appearance-related prosocial reasoning from T2 to T3. Notably, the mediation pathways from exposure to and the posting of BoPo and positive appearance comments to appearance-related prosocial tendencies through prosocial reasoning were not significant. Such findings suggest the presence of more significant sources for appearance-related prosocial tendencies than social media during adolescence. Still, the between-person findings can be valuable for peer-led campaigns that aim to foster a positive body image. Such campaigns could identify adolescents with heightened appearance-related prosocial tendencies who tend to engage with body positivity posts and positive appearance comments on social media. • Over time, prosocial tendencies correlated with more prosocial reasoning, BoPo exposure and posting positive comments. • BoPo and positive appearance comments did not consistently impact appearance-related prosocial reasoning and tendencies. • Influential actors other than social media may stand behind adolescent appearance-related prosocial reasoning and tendencies. • A more nuanced theoretical conceptualization of prosocial tendencies within the appearance domain is needed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Accumulating research has supported the potential for body positivity content on Instagram to challenge predominant appearance ideals and promote a healthier body image. However, research in diverse groups is lacking – in particular, individuals with a disability have largely been neglected. Using #Disabled #BodyPositivity, this analysis examined the content of 623 body positive posts on Instagram. Posts were coded for body and appearance-attributes and themes relating to positive body image, appearance ideals, disability, and health. Posts were also examined for contradictory messaging (i.e., body positivity themes alongside the pursuit of appearance ideals). Results demonstrated an inclusion of diverse body and appearance-attributes, however, posts predominantly depicted young, White women. While only 45.06 % of posts contained at least one positive body image theme, our results identified positive themes specific to the disabled community, such as disability pride and activism. Besides the significant relationship between the presence of body positive themes and body and food shame, contradictory messaging was not found. Future research examining the effects of exposure to body positivity messaging on social media among those with a disability is warranted. • #Disabled #BodyPositivity Instagram posts depicted some diverse appearances and body types. • Almost half of posts contained messages which align with positive body image. • Posts contained content specific to the disabled community (e.g., disability pride). • Findings indicate contradictory messaging was sparse. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study systematically separated the effects of body size and sexualisation in social media images on women's body image. Young women (18–25 years, N = 194) viewed 10 social media images of either (1) sexualised women in larger bodies; (2) non-sexualised women in larger bodies; (3) sexualised women in smaller bodies; or (4) non-sexualised women in smaller bodies. Participants completed pre- and post-exposure measures of body image and related constructs. Thin ideal internalisation was examined as a moderator of those effects. The body size of the women in the images was more influential than how sexualized their bodies were presented. Regardless of sexualisation, viewing images of women with smaller bodies was negative for appearance satisfaction, negative mood, and body appreciation, and viewing women with larger bodies was positive for body appreciation and neutral for appearance satisfaction and mood. The impact of body size on appearance satisfaction was stronger for those high in thin ideal internalisation. Women with larger bodies were perceived more positively than those with smaller bodies. However, participants' self-objectification increased in all conditions. Thus, while viewing images of women with larger bodies provides promise for improving social media, further research is needed before it is recommended broadly. • Viewing images of women with smaller (thin) bodies was negative for all outcomes. • Viewing images of women with larger bodies was positive or neutral for body image. • The level of sexualisation in the images had little impact on women's body image. • Women formed more positive impressions of those with larger than smaller bodies. • Women's self-objectification increased in all conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There has been considerable recent interest in and reference to body neutrality, despite limited scholarship on differences from existing constructs. Our study examined perceptions of body neutrality in 229 individuals (researchers, clinicians, eating disorder lived experience, general community). Questions explored definitions of body neutrality, its similarity and differences to other concepts, perceived benefits and risks of adopting a body neutrality approach, and ratings on the usefulness of proposed components. Participants defined body neutrality as adopting an accepting, non-judgemental approach to one's body, de-emphasising the importance of appearance, and viewing the body as a vessel that carries a person through life. Perceived benefits included it being more accessible than existing approaches and a useful coping strategy, while risks were that neutrality can be difficult to adopt in an appearance focused society and that it may prompt an apathetic response to self-care. Body neutrality was rated as conceptually similar to functionality appreciation, body acceptance, and body compassion, and definitions consistent with these terms were rated most favourably. Our findings show how body neutrality is perceived and used by experts and the general community. However, we question whether this conceptualisation is distinct from existing positive body image concepts. • Experts and general community (N = 229) provided definitions on body neutrality • Body neutrality viewed as similar to body functionality, compassion, and acceptance • Seen as more accessible than body positivity but also challenging • Definitions overlapped with positive body image; no unique elements identified • The term likely captures several understudied components of positive body image [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A “body activism” movement, with roots in fat activism and body positivity, has developed in Sweden during the last decade. As new forms of activism emerge, boundaries and approaches are being negotiated. Who is the movement for? Who can engage in it, and how? Through semi-structured interviews, we seek to understand how young Swedes who follow and engage in “body activism” on social media experience and reflect on the activism, belonging and entitlement, and their own participation. The informants discussed activism in terms of inclusiveness and political potential, where the most accessible activism is also the one ascribed with the least political potential. Entitlement is linked to collective identity, where an active participation requires belonging to the marginalised group. This article highlights the significance of boundary work in movements, where too narrowly drawn boundaries can lead to decreased participation and result in an unexploited potential for social change.

This paper explores existing feminist body positive frameworks and queer theories of embodiment while asking troubling questions about bodies between and outside of binary, cisgender frameworks. We consider how feminist psychotherapy offers some possibilities and occludes others when applied to the desire to redistribute or shrink chest tissue. Using psychoanalytic theory, we aim to uplift alternative (and, at times, uncomfortable) clinical considerations to better understand the relationship between our patients and their bodies. To guide feminist therapists, we propose a framework of mourning and materialization. Specifically, we suggest that therapists practice reflexivity and collaborate with their patients to determine what aspects of the ideal body to mourn and what aspects can be materialized through surgery or other forms of bodily change. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, we examined potential direct, indirect, and moderated effects in the relations between the use of TikTok, a video-based appearance-related social networking site, and body dissatisfaction among a sample of 778 United States' young adult college women. Results showed that TikTok use was indirectly related to body dissatisfaction through more upward appearance comparison and more body surveillance acting in serial. Contrary to our hypotheses, we also found that exposure to body acceptance and critique of appearance expectations, a facet of exposure to body positive media, and commercial media literacy exacerbated the direct relation between TikTok use and upward appearance comparison and the indirect relations between TikTok use and body dissatisfaction through upward appearance comparison and upward appearance comparison and body surveillance in serial. That is, the relations were significant for those at high and average levels of both acceptance and critique exposure and commercial media literacy, but not for those with low levels. Finally, we found that TikTok use was only associated with upward appearance comparison at average and low levels of peer social media literacy but not high levels. Our findings suggest that regular and consistent use of TikTok may be harmful to women's body image, and women with higher levels of acceptance and critique exposure and commercial media literacy may be the most vulnerable to these negative effects. • TikTok use is positively related to body dissatisfaction. • Upward appearance comparison and body surveillance in serial mediate this link. • Body acceptance exposure and commercial media literacy exacerbates some of these links. • The TikTok use → appearance comparison link is significant at lower peer media literacy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In philosophical and psychological accounts alike, it has been claimed that mirror gazing is like looking at ourselves as others. Social neuroscience and social psychology offer support for this view by showing that we use similar brain and cognitive mechanisms during perception of both others' and our own face. I analyse these premises to investigate the factors affecting the perception of one's own mirror image. I analyse mechanisms and processes involved in face perception, mimicry, and emotion recognition, and defend the following argument: because perception of others' face is affected by our feelings toward them, it is likely that feelings toward ourselves affect our responses to the mirror image. One implication is that negative self-feelings can affect mirror gazing instantiating a vicious cycle where the negative emotional response reflects a previously acquired attitude toward oneself. I conclude by discussing implications of this view for psychology and social studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]