The impact of fitspiration content on body satisfaction and negative mood: An experimental study.

Rounds, Emilia G.; Stutts, Lauren A.

doi:10.1037/ppm0000288

Cited by 53Eating Disorders and BehaviorsMedia Influence and HealthBody Image and Dysmorphia Studies

The impact of fitspiration content on body satisfaction and negative mood: An experimental study.

Rounds, Emilia G., Stutts, Lauren A.·2021·Psychology of Popular Media

DOI 10.1037/ppm0000288

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Even brief exposure to thinspiration or fitspiration content may have negative effects on young women's state body satisfaction and mood.
“Experimental work indicates even brief exposure to such content may have negative effects on young women's state body satisfaction and mood (e.g., Prnjak et al., 2020; Rounds & Stutts, 2021).”
From The Perfect Storm: A Developmental-Sociocultural Framework for the Role of Social Media in Adolescent Girls' Body Image Concerns and Mental Health. (2022) · cites this paper as Rounds & Stutts, 2021

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“Experimental work indicates even brief exposure to such content may have negative effects on young women’s state body satisfaction and mood (e.g., Prnjak et al., 2020; Rounds & Stutts, 2021).”
Background
Social media, body image, and the question of causation: Meta-analyses of experimental and longitudinal evidence
de Valle, M. K., Gallego-García, M., Williamson, P., & Wade, T. D. (2021) · Body Image · doi:10.1016/j.bodyim.2021.10.001 · Cited by 221 · see citing works
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Pryde, S., & Prichard, I. J. (2022) · Body Image · doi:10.1016/j.bodyim.2022.09.004 · Cited by 120 · see citing works
Effects of fitspiration content on body image: a systematic review
Jerónimo, F., & Carraça, E. V. (2022) · Eating and Weight Disorders - Studies on Anorexia Bulimia and Obesity · doi:10.1007/s40519-022-01505-4 · Cited by 106 · see citing works
“[41] RCT * Rounds and Stutts [39] RCT * Slater, Varsani and Diedrichs [40] RCT * Tiggemann and Zaccardo [15] RCT * Yee et al.”
BackgroundInfluential
The effects of fitspiration and self-compassion Instagram posts on body image and self-compassion in men and women
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Risks and benefits of social media trends: The influence of “fitspiration”, “body positivity”, and text-based “body neutrality” on body dissatisfaction and affect in women with and without eating disorders
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“You started working out to get a flat stomach and a fat a$$”: A content analysis of fitspiration videos on TikTok
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A comparison of the impact of exposure to fit ideal and non-fit ideal body shapes in fitspiration imagery on women
Barnes, K., Newman, E., & Keenan, G. (2023) · Computers in Human Behavior · doi:10.1016/j.chb.2023.107728 · Cited by 23 · see citing works
The Roles of Social Comparison Orientation and Regulatory Focus in College Students’ Responses to Fitspiration Posts on Social Media: Cross-sectional Study
Pasko, K., & Arigo, D. (2021) · JMIR Mental Health · doi:10.2196/26204 · Cited by 23 · see citing works
“Although some findings show that fitspiration does contribute to increased physical activity [10], exposure to fitspiration also has been associated with body dissatisfaction, low self-esteem, and disordered eating behaviors [11-13].”
Background
The effects of brief diet and anti-diet social media videos on body image and eating concerns among young women
Fiuza, A., & Rodgers, R. F. (2023) · Eating Behaviors · doi:10.1016/j.eatbeh.2023.101811 · Cited by 24 · see citing works
Do appearance comparisons mediate the effects of thinspiration and fitspiration on body dissatisfaction, happiness, and disordered eating urges in women’s daily lives?
Martin, G., Portingale, J., Fuller‐Tyszkiewicz, M., & Krug, I. (2023) · Body Image · doi:10.1016/j.bodyim.2023.05.006 · Cited by 20 · see citing works
Experimental effects of fitspiration messaging on body satisfaction, exercise motivation, and exercise behavior among college women and men.
Arigo, D., Brown, M. M., & DiBisceglie, S. (2021) · PubMed Central · doi:10.1093/tbm/ibab016 · Cited by 17 · see citing works
“Despite the popularity of #fitspiration posts on Instagram and other social media platforms, images consistent with this trend have been shown to induce negative effects on mood and body image [17, 18].”
Background
Investigating the effects of fit-normative and weight-inclusive Instagram images on women’s exercise motivations
Wood, M., & Pila, E. (2022) · Body Image · doi:10.1016/j.bodyim.2022.04.003 · Cited by 16 · see citing works
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“Of the research available, simple statistical models were used to analyze the data [22] [23] [24].”
Method
The impact of a values affirmation intervention on body dissatisfaction and negative mood in women exposed to fitspiration.
Pilot, I. G., & Stutts, L. (2022) · Body image · doi:10.1016/j.bodyim.2022.11.005 · Cited by 11 · see citing works
Self-citation
Idealized Body Images and Fitness Lifestyles on Social Media: A Systematic Review Exploring the Link Between Social Media Use and Symptoms of Orthorexia Nervosa and Muscle Dysmorphia
Vintró‐Alcaraz, C., Reque, C. B., Paslakis, G., & Testa, G. (2025) · European Eating Disorders Review · doi:10.1002/erv.70027 · Cited by 10 · see citing works
“These trends may inadvertently promote unrealistic body ideals, potentially affecting mood, self‐esteem, and emotional well‐ being (Cataldo et al. 2021; Griffiths and Stefanovski 2019; Rounds and Stutts 2021).”
Critical consumers: How do young women with high autonomous motivation for exercise navigate fitness social media?
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Flex Friday: A content analysis of men’s fitspiration on Instagram
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Social Media and Self-Concept Among Postsecondary Students: A Scoping Review
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“, 24 , 25, The purpose of a scoping review was to provide a broad overview of the existing research on a particular topic.”
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TikTok fitspiration and fitness ideal internalisation: gender differences in self-esteem and body satisfaction
Limniou, M., Duckett, H., & Mitchell, E. (2025) · Frontiers in Psychology · doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2025.1578510 · Cited by 8 · see citing works
“…exposure to fitspiration TikTok posts heightens appearance-based comparisons, reduces body satisfaction, and lowers mood in both adolescents and adults (de Brabandere et al., 2025; Pryde and Prichard, 2022), mirroring patterns observed on Instagram (Prichard et al., 2020; Rounds and Stutts, 2021).”
Understanding Fitness Trends in the Virtual Age: A Content Analysis of TikTok Workout Videos
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“…Exposure to fitspiration content on social media is related to increased body dissatisfaction and negative mood (e.g., Holland & Tiggemann, 2016; Rounds & Stutts, 2021), and one study found that when exposed to fitspiration media images, women felt that their idealized physiques were less…”
Experimental evidence of instagram influencers’ impact on well-being
T’ng, K., Chan, K. Q., & Hartanto, A. (2024) · Current Psychology · doi:10.1007/s12144-024-06821-9 · Cited by 5 · see citing works
“Experimental research on the effects of Instagram on well-being have examined the frequency of posting (e.g., Krause et al., 2023 ), type of posts viewed (e.g., Meier et al., 2020; Rounds & Stutts, 2021 ), and having a complete break from Instagram (e.g., Hanley et al., 2019 ).”
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“…comparison (Di Gesto et al., 2021) which previous research has shown to be linked to higher anxiety (Couture Bue, 2020; Sherlock & Wagstaff, 2019), depression (Hwang, 2019; Sherlock & Wagstaff, 2019), and dissatisfaction with one’s own body (Rounds & Stutts, 2021; Sherlock & Wagstaff, 2019).”
Result
It appears on my feed! Differences in intentionality of fitspiration exposure by weight/shape concerns, disordered eating, and self-compassion in women
Gracias, K. R., Pilot, I. G., & Stutts, L. A. (2024) · Eating Behaviors · doi:10.1016/j.eatbeh.2024.101850 · Cited by 5 · see citing works
Self-citation
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Viewing before and after weight loss transformation images online: The impact on young women’s mood, body satisfaction, self-objectification, and the role of appearance comparison.
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Addressing the Negative Impact of Social Media on Body Image: An Online Randomized Controlled Pilot Trial
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“To date, various studies have underscored the negative impact of social media (e.g., Fardouly and Vartanian 2016) and of fitspiration content (e.g., Jeronimo and Carraca 2022; Ladwig et al. 2024; Rounds and Stutts 2021) on body image.”
The impact of fitspiration comments on adult women’s body dissatisfaction and negative affect
Stutts, L. A., & Blomquist, K. K. (2024) · Body Image · doi:10.1016/j.bodyim.2024.101708 · Cited by 4 · see citing works
Self-citation
Women, social media, and physical appearance anxiety: The effect of sociocultural attitudes
March, E., Tenaglia, L., & Wagstaff, D. (2022) · Studia Psychologica Theoria et praxis · doi:10.21697/sp.2022.22.2.02 · Cited by 3 · see citing works
“New trends in body presentation, such as fitspira-tion, are largely delivered via social media (Rounds & Stutts, 2021).”
Background
Picture Perfect
Milson, R., & Madigan, D. J. (2024) · Journal of Media Psychology Theories Methods and Applications · doi:10.1027/1864-1105/a000434 · Cited by 5 · see citing works
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Fitspiration, Thinspiration, Body Positivity, and Body Neutrality Contents on Image‐Based Social Media: Associations With Body Image, Mood, Self‐Esteem, and Disordered Eating Behavior in Women With and Without Self‐Reported Eating Disorders—An Ecological Momentary Assessment Study
Schönhals, K., Lalk, C., & Vocks, S. (2026) · International Journal of Eating Disorders · doi:10.1002/eat.70027 · Cited by 2 · see citing works
“…studies have found that compared to viewing neutral content, viewing fitspo results in higher negative mood and lower appearance self-esteem (Rounds and Stutts 2021; Tiggemann and Zaccardo 2015), and viewing either fitspo or thinspo leads to increased body dissatisfaction (Dignard and Jarry…”
Influence of social networks on self-image and lifestyle in postpartum women: a systematic scoping review
Hernández, E. R., Sánchez‐Aguadero, N., Palmero, M. J. F., & Recio-Rodriguez, J. I. (2025) · BMC Pregnancy and Childbirth · doi:10.1186/s12884-025-07847-y · Cited by 3 · see citing works
“In the last few years, research on social networks in general has received much attention in the literature and several studies have been conducted assessing their effect on body dissatisfaction, altered mood, and the adoption of unhealthy dietary and physical activity behaviors [8–10].”
The effect of fitspiration on body dissatisfaction and exercise motivation in female NCAA Division I athletes and non-athletes
Simms, E. C., & Stutts, L. A. (2025) · Journal of American College Health · doi:10.1080/07448481.2025.2472177 · Cited by 1 · see citing works
“7,8 Participants who view fitspiration content are likely engaging in social comparison with those idealized images, which may result in negative feelings about one’s body.”
InfluentialSelf-citation
Lifting the Screen on Fitspiration: A Meta-Analysis
Gruest, V., & Walter, N. (2026) · Health Communication · doi:10.1080/10410236.2026.2653191 · Cited by 1 · see citing works
Physical attributes of workout instructors and appearance-related messaging in a sample of home workout videos on YouTube: A content analysis
Chung, H. G., Wick, M. R., Joo, C. E., & Harriger, J. A. (2024) · Journal of Health Psychology · doi:10.1177/13591053241242534 · Cited by 1 · see citing works
“Exposure to fit-spiration has been linked to increased body dissatisfaction and negative mood in participants (e.g. Holland and Tiggemann, 2016; Rounds and Stutts, 2021).”
Fitspiration-effect: Fitness identity of emerging adult females on social media
Greyling, C., & Naudé, L. (2023) · South African Journal for Research in Sport Physical Education and Recreation · doi:10.36386/sajrsper.v45i2.96
Is Self-Compassion an Effective Strategy for Improving Body Image and Related Constructs among Women with Normal Weight and Excess Weight?
Nightingale, B. A. (2023) · doi:10.32920/24194706.v1
El Rol del Fitspiration y Body Positive en la Insatisfacción Corporal de Jóvenes ArgentinosPreprint
Speranza, T. B., Bravo, I. M. F., & Ramenzoni, V. C. (2023) · doi:10.31234/osf.io/mtdj6
Conspicuous Fitness
Daudi, A. (2024) · doi:10.24834/isbn.9789178774890
Embracing or Resisting? Feminist Beliefs and the Internalization of Body Ideals in ChinaPreprint
Peng, B., Du, H., & Ha, A. S. C. (2024) · Research Square · doi:10.21203/rs.3.rs-5365844/v1
El Rol del Fitspiration y Body Positive en la Insatisfacción Corporal de Jóvenes Argentinos
Speranza, T. B., Catalano, L., Bravo, I. F., & Ramenzoni, V. C. (2025) · Revista Mexicana de Trastornos Alimentarios/Mexican Journal of Eating Disorders · doi:10.22201/fesi.20071523e.2025.2.810
Body Appreciation and Media Pressure Predict Time Perception During Exposure to Varying Body SizesPreprint
El-Jor, C., Shankland, R., Flaudias, V., & Hallez, Q. (2025) · Research Square · doi:10.21203/rs.3.rs-8259354/v1
The unfiltered truth about social media: Associations between popular platforms and women’s body image
Pryde, S., Kemps, E., & Prichard, I. J. (2026) · Body Image · doi:10.1016/j.bodyim.2026.102092 · Cited by 1 · see citing works
Body Image Booster (BIBo): Inhalte und praktische Anwendung einer Intervention zur Reduktion schädlicher Einflüsse aussehensbezogener Sozialer Medien für Frauen mit Essstörungen
Ladwig, G., Schönhals, K., Quittkat, H. L., Dietel, F. A., & Vocks, S. (2026) · Verhaltenstherapie · doi:10.1159/000551365
Sociodemographic influence and sociocultural pressure on food attitudes toward taste among university students
da Hora, G. M. D., Soares, F. L. P., Dias, C. R. V., da Silva, G. G., & Rocha, L. M. (2026) · Nutrire · doi:10.1186/s41110-026-00508-w
“Body dissatisfaction is alarming amongst individuals who use social media [ 31, 63, 64].”
Çocukluk Çağı Akran Zorbalığının Fiziksel Görünüme Dayalı Sosyal Karşılaştırmayla İlişkisinde Öz-Şefkatin Dolaylı Rolü
POLAT, E., & Gülüm, İ. V. (2026) · Nesne Psikoloji Dergisi · doi:10.7816/nesne-14-37-02
“Yapılan önceki araştırmalarda Instagram kullanım süresinin kişilerde beden imajı ile ilgili sorunları arttırabileceğine yönelik sonuçlar olduğu görülmektedir (Fardouly ve Vartanian, 2015; Haferkamp ve Krämer, 2011; Holland ve Tiggemann, 2016; Rounds ve Stutts, 2021; Tiggemann ve Slater, 2014).”

Authors: Rounds, E. G., & Stutts, L. A.
ORCID: Stutts, Lauren A.
Venue: Psychology of Popular Media
Publisher: American Psychological Association (APA)
Published: 2021-04
Volume: 10
Issue: 2
Pages: 267-274
ISSN: 2689-6567 (ISSN-L)
2689-6575
DOI: 10.1037/ppm0000288
OpenAlex: W3016423713
Cited by: 53
References: 0
Citations by year: 2026: 9 · 2025: 10 · 2024: 11 · 2023: 9 · 2022: 7 · 2021: 6 · 2020: 1
FWCI: 2.17
Type: journal article
Language: en
Open access: closed
Locations: Psychology of Popular Media (publishedVersion)
Funders: Davidson Research Initiative
Topics: Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Eating Disorders and Behaviors
Social Sciences › Arts and Humanities › Literature and Literary Theory › Media Influence and Health
Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Body Image and Dysmorphia Studies
Keywords: fitspiration, body satisfaction, negative mood, social media content, body image, fitness influencers

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The impact of fitspiration content on body satisfaction and negative mood: An experimental study.

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