"I'll never sacrifice my well-being again:" The journey from negative to positive body image among women who perceive their body to deviate from societal norms.

We conducted one-on-one interviews with 25 Canadian cisgender women who self-identified as having (a) a condition or characteristic causing their body to deviate from societal norms and (b) overcome a negative body image to develop a positive body image. Using coding reliability thematic analyses, we identified 12 themes (italicised) involving processes and experiences associated with shifts in body image. Women had moments that sparked and confirmed the importance of building positive body image (Enough is Enough). They experienced accepting Social Connections and Community and Accessed Critical Knowledge conducive to body positivity. They engaged in Joyful Movement, Adaptive Appearance Investment, and Joyful and Intuitive Eating. They identified how Changing Societal Norms, Becoming Older and Wiser, COVID-19 Pandemic, having Illnesses and Medical Conditions, Pregnancy and Motherhood, and Spirituality, Religion, and Nature affected their body image, values, and valued action. As women engaged in these processes and experiences, shifts occurred in their perceptions of their embodied selves in the world, represented by four "Bigger Lessons:" I Am More Than My Looks, I Am More Than My Body, I am More Than My Self, and I am Inherently Worthy of Love, Respect, and Joy. These findings can inform body image programmes and clinical interventions.

The impact of social media use on body image and disordered eating behaviors: Content matters more than duration of exposure.

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.

Parent and child influence in body image dissatisfaction: The moderating effect of parent acceptance of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The present study investigated the influence of parent and child-driven effects on body image dissatisfaction during the COVID-19 pandemic. The moderating effect of parents' acceptance of the COVID-19 pandemic and child gender were also investigated. The participants were 175 Canadian parents (mothers = 87.4%, fathers = 12%, unspecified = 0.6%) of children aged between 7 and 12 years old (M = 9.2; boys = 48.9%, girls = 51.1%). Two cohorts of parents were asked to complete a questionnaire in June 2020 and January 2021, respectively, followed by a second questionnaire approximately five months later. At both time points, the questionnaires addressed the parents' body image dissatisfaction and acceptance of the COVID-19 pandemic. In addition, parents reported on their child's body image dissatisfaction at both time points. Path analysis models were used to examine parent-driven and child-driven effects. Parents' acceptance of the pandemic significantly moderated both parent and child-driven effects such that parents with low levels of acceptance were more likely to negatively influence, and be negatively influenced by, their perception of their child's body image dissatisfaction. Child gender significantly moderated child-driven effects, as mothers' perception of their son's body image dissatisfaction predicted their own dissatisfaction over time. Our findings suggest that child-driven effects should be considered in future studies on body image dissatisfaction.

Coping profiles, depression, and body image anxiety during the Covid-19 pandemic: Comparative analysis of females with thyroid diseases and a non-clinical sample.

OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to compare profiles of coping among females with thyroid disorders and females from a healthy control group regarding depression levels and body image anxiety. We also wanted to check whether subjectively experienced Covid-19-related psychological distress moderated the above-mentioned association in both groups of participants. METHOD: The study sample comprised 564 females, of which 329 were diagnosed with a thyroid disease and 235 formed the healthy control group. Participants filled out paper-and-pencil or online versions of psychometric questionnaires to assess coping strategies, depression, and body image anxiety. RESULTS: In general, we observed higher depression intensity and a higher level of body image anxiety among females with thyroid diseases than among the healthy control group. Latent profile analysis revealed adaptive vs. maladaptive coping profiles from both study samples. Depression symptoms were significantly higher if coping was maladaptive in both the clinical and control groups. Still, there were no significant differences in body image anxiety between participants with adaptive and maladaptive coping profiles. Covid-19-related distress did not moderate the link between coping profiles, depression, and body image anxiety in either group. CONCLUSION: Greater focus should be placed on the role of body image in females struggling with thyroid diseases. Bodily therapy may help these patients to cope better with co-occurring thyroid diseases and mental disorders, whose relationship is still not fully understood.

Caring for myself while I'm growing somebody else: Mindful self-care buffers between pregnancy body disconnection and distress.

Pregnancy embodiment describes the way a pregnant individual inhabits their body, including disconnection and connection, likely influencing both distress and well-being. Emerging work indicates that acceptance of pregnancy-related bodily change may support well-being, particularly when co-occurring with self-care behaviors. Yet, specific associations of pregnant embodiment and intentional, individualized self-care practices (mindful self-care; MSC) with well-being and distress remain unexamined. The present study tested independent and interactive associations between MSC and positive embodiment (body agency), and negative embodiment (body estrangement), respectively, with maternal distress and well-being in a sample of US pregnant women (N = 179; Mage = 31.3 years, aged 21-43; 85.6 % White, 4.9 % Hispanic/Latinx). Challenge and threat/harm appraisals of the COVID-19 pandemic were included in the model to represent responses to the unique sociohistorical context. Measurement-corrected path analytic models explained a substantial proportion of variation in well-being and a smaller proportion in prenatal distress. Among those with higher MSC, the association between body estrangement and prenatal distress was weaker. Results support mindful self-care as protective for pregnancy distress in the setting of body disconnection. Future individualized health promotion might consider how high-stress contexts influence application of self-care practices and impact distress and well-being during pregnancy.

Food for thought: Examining the relationship between low calorie density foods in Instagram feeds and disordered eating symptoms among undergraduate women.

BACKGROUND: Ample studies have tested how viewing bodies on social media impacts eating disorder symptoms; however, the relationship between viewing food images on social media and disordered eating remains understudied. This study investigated whether viewing images of healthy, palatable food on Instagram impacted disordered eating attitudes across two samples of undergraduate women. METHODS: This pre-registered online study was conducted at two sites. Participants identifying as female (study 1 n = 222; study 2 n = 214) were randomly assigned to view one of two Instagram feeds - either a feed featuring low calorie, aesthetically pleasing foods or a control condition featuring travel images. Participants completed state measures of disordered eating intentions, self-esteem, and body image before and after viewing the feeds. RESULTS: A main effect of condition on disordered eating intentions was found at the Midwestern site, but not the Southeastern site. CONCLUSIONS: Viewing healthy palatable food images on Instagram could increase risk for disordered eating behaviors among college females. If findings are replicated, individuals vulnerable to disordered eating may benefit from removing these types of feeds from their social media. Further research is needed to determine whether other forms of visual content on Instagram may be associated with disordered eating.

Disordered eating during COVID-19 pandemic is associated with nutritional status, negative mood changes, and body image in university students.

Our objective was to evaluate disordered eating and associated factors in university students in the early period of the COVID-19 pandemic in Brazil. This is an analytical cross-sectional observational study, and data collection took place between May and June 2020, using an online semi-structured questionnaire. In total, 936 students were evaluated. Present signs/symptoms of the flu syndrome (OR = 1.605), negative mood changes (OR = 1.628), weight gain (OR = 1.739), obesity (OR = 3.089), follow fitness/health profile on social media (OR = 2.050), having inadequate body perception (OR = 2.416), and body dissatisfaction (OR = 2.612) increased the chances of presenting a higher score on the disordered eating scale.

Zooming in: The relationship between appearance concerns and perceived performance whilst videoconferencing among Australian adults.

Videoconferencing for work/study purposes has increased rapidly due to the COVID-19 global pandemic. Given this practice often involves viewing one's own video image, higher appearance concerns whilst videoconferencing may be linked to poorer performance whereby individuals may not feel they are able to engage or have control during a work/study meeting. The present study cross-sectionally examined whether both facial appearance concerns and fear of negative evaluation during videoconferencing for work/study purposes were directly and indirectly related to performance control and engagement, through self-focused attention and appearance distraction. Adult participants (N = 534, Mage = 26.32, SD = 11.08; 78% female) completed an online survey during the COVID-19 pandemic in Australia. Path analysis revealed direct and indirect effects, suggesting that heightened appearance self-consciousness was associated with greater self- and appearance-focused attention. In turn, this was related to impaired performance during videoconferencing. Multigroup analyses demonstrated that the magnitude of the proposed correlational effects were comparable across men and women. Given the ongoing reliance on videoconferencing, these findings have important theoretical and practical implications.

Relationships between physical activity, body image, BMI, depression and anxiety in Chinese college students during the COVID-19 pandemic.

BACKGROUND: Both depression and anxiety are worldwide burden that is not being abated with our current knowledge and treatment of the condition. Numerous clinical trials have supported that physical activity (PA) can reduce the depression and anxiety in adolescents, but little is known about its mechanism of action. Therefore, the study objectives were to explore the potential relationship between physical activity and depression and anxiety from the perspective of body image and body mass index (BMI), and to provide an important reference for future self-esteem education and health promotion intervention. METHODS: The participants in this study were 251 Chinese college students between 17 and 22 years old. Participants completed the International Physical Activity Questionnaire-Short Form (IPAQ-SF), the Body Image Questionnaire (BIQ), the Self-rating Depression Scale (SDS) and the Self-rating Anxiety Scale (SAS). A descriptive and correlational approach was used, using the PROCESS macro for Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS). RESULTS: (1) Physical activity was significantly negatively correlated with both depression and anxiety (t = -0.216, p < 0.001; t = -0.184, p < 0.01). (2) Body image had a significant moderating effect on the relationship between physical activity and anxiety among college students, but there was no moderating effect between depression and physical activity. BMI has no moderating effect on the two interrelationships. CONCLUSION: There is only body image that moderates the relationship between anxiety and physical activity.

Physical Activity and Body Image Perceived by University Students during the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Systematic Review.

Our objective was to assess the perception of body image and physical activity in university students during the COVID-19 pandemic. Of 74,270 papers found on 13 search engines between 12 August 2020, and 2 November 2021, we identified six studies (n = 1392 and 1097 were women). We found several results on the perception of both variables during the pandemic. First, physical activity tended to decrease or have negative changes, either because they dedicated less time to it, decreased the type of intensity or because they dedicated more time to sedentary activities. In addition, women were more physically active than men, since men perceived a decrease in their levels of physical activity. Secondly, there were also slight changes in the perception of body image; several students perceived that they gained weight and others had an increase in their BMI. It is even noted that those who were physically active or who were older in the population studied had a better perception of their actual physical condition. Similarly, we found that a concern for body image and even negative changes in the perception of appearance during confinement were reported. In conclusion, we found changes in the perception of physical activity and body image in college students during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Body Image Perception in Adolescents: The Role of Sports Practice and Sex.

Concerns about weight and body image are common among adolescents, as adolescence represents a time of intense and rapid change. This cross-sectional study assessed the difference in body image perception by sex, weight status and sports practice in a sample of Italians aged 13-18 years. For this purpose, we considered a sample of 140 adolescents subdivided into two groups: a group of sports-playing teenagers practicing volleyball (39 males and 26 females), and a group of teenagers not actively involved in sports (24 males and 51 females). Body mass index (BMI), body image variables, and sports practice were examined. Due to COVID-19 limitations, height and weight were self-reported and BMI was calculated as weight (in kilograms) divided by the square of height (in meters). Body image perception was assessed by the short version of the Body Shape Questionnaire (BSQ-14) and by the Stunkard Body Silhouette Chart. Two-way ANCOVAs adjusted for age were performed to test the differences between sexes and sports groups. Adolescent volleyball players had a lower incidence of weight disorders. Weight status significantly differed between those who played sports and those who did not, but there was no significant difference in weight status between sexes. On the whole, sports players and males showed higher results than non-sports players and females. The highest level of body image dissatisfaction was found in non-sports-playing females, while sports-playing males showed the lowest. The present study confirms the positive link between sport and body image and can be of support to lead adolescents to adopt a healthier and more active lifestyle. Further research is needed to validate our findings through a longitudinal study during the entire period of adolescence. In addition, it would be interesting to validate the results on a larger sample, also taking into account socio-demographic variables and including athletes engaged in different types of sports.

Facial Appearance Dissatisfaction Explains Differences in Zoom Fatigue.

Viewing self-video during videoconferences potentially causes negative self-focused attention that contributes to virtual meeting (VM) or "Zoom" fatigue. The present research examines this proposition, focusing on facial dissatisfaction-feeling unhappy about one's own facial appearance-as a potential psychological mechanism of VM fatigue. A study of survey responses from a panel of 613 adults found that VM fatigue was 14.9 percent higher for women than for men, and 11.1 percent higher for Asian than for White participants. These gender and race/ethnicity differences were found to be mediated by facial dissatisfaction. This study replicates earlier VM fatigue research, extends the theoretical understanding of facial dissatisfaction as a psychological mechanism of VM fatigue, and suggests that practical approaches to mitigating VM fatigue could include implementing technological features that reduce self-focused attention during VMs (e.g., employing avatars).

An 8-month longitudinal exploration of body image and disordered eating in the UK during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Research suggests that the COVID-19 pandemic is negatively impacting mental health, with rates of eating disorder referrals in particular rising steeply during the pandemic. This study aimed to examine 8-month changes in body image and disordered eating during the COVID-19 pandemic, and explore whether any changes were moderated by gender, age, or eating disorder history. This study used a longitudinal survey design in which 587 adults living in the UK (85 % women; mean age = 32.87 years) completed assessments every two months over five timepoints from May/June 2020 to January/February 2021. Measures included body esteem, disordered eating, and psychological distress. Mixed effect models showed small but significant improvements in body esteem and disordered eating symptoms from May/June 2020 to January/February 2021. These improvements were independent of changes in psychological distress, and did not vary by gender, age or eating disorder history. Whilst poor body image and disordered eating may have been elevated in the early period of the pandemic, this study suggests improvements, rather than worsening, of these outcomes over time. This may reflect adaptation to this changing context.

Zoomers: videoconferencing, appearance concerns, and potential effects on adolescents.

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: The cessation of in-person teaching to reduce the spread of COVID-19 dramatically increased the use of videoconferencing for home learning among adolescents. RECENT FINDINGS: A consistent finding across studies assessing the relationship between videoconferencing and appearance concerns was that time spent focused on self-view was related to greater appearance concerns. Videoconferencing was associated with an increase in desire for cosmetic surgery and other nonsurgical treatments. Among those at risk of eating disorders, videoconferencing was associated with more appearance-management behaviours and less engagement in the video call. Research to date has been correlational and predominantly involved White, adult women in the USA and in Australia, leaving important gaps in our knowledge, especially around impacts on adolescents. SUMMARY: Given their vulnerability to appearance concerns, we encourage practitioners to speak to adolescents about their use of videoconferencing and how they can migitate the potential negative impacts on body image.

An Examination of the Impact of Social and Cultural Traditions Contributing to Overweight and Obesity Among Black Women.

Black women living in Prince George's (PG) County, Maryland, have high rates of overweight and obesity. Obesity significantly impacts Black women, leading to poor physical and mental health, decreased social well-being, and a financial strain on the healthcare system. Despite living in an affluent area and having middle to high incomes and high education levels, Black women living in PG County have difficulty managing their weight. This study explores how social and cultural factors and social networks impact the weight of Black women living in PG County, Maryland. A qualitative case study design guided by social cognitive theory was employed to conduct semi-structured interviews and focus groups with 15 women. Key social and cultural factors (income, family network, peer network, and living in PG County) influenced participants' attitudes and behaviors toward their weight and strategies to manage their weight. Additionally, participants expressed that Black culture is more accepting of larger and curvier body types, and this reinforces a positive body image and less desire to achieve an ideal BMI. Participants also expressed that COVID-19 impacted their weight management strategies. This study adds to the literature by better explaining some of the underlying factors that influence decision-making around weight management among Black women who live in PG County, Maryland.

"I feel more protective over my body:" A brief report on pregnant women's embodied experiences during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The COVID-19 pandemic has dramatically altered the experiences of pregnant people. For example, the pandemic has disrupted access to healthcare, social distancing has reduced social support, and vaccine rollout has led to safety concerns. Consistent with the Developmental Theory of Embodiment, which posits that our experiences of our bodies are influenced by social factors, studies have revealed an uptick in body dissatisfaction and disordered eating during this time. However, research on pregnant people's experiences of their body and body image during the pandemic has been largely overlooked. In this exploratory qualitative study, we aimed to broadly understand how the pandemic and quarantine have impacted the way pregnant women (N = 190) in the US and UK relate to their bodies. We used Consensual Qualitative Research-Modified (CQR-M) to analyze pregnant women's brief textual accounts of their embodied experiences during the pandemic and identified eight core domains across the dataset. Some participants reported no change in their embodied experiences, whereas others reported accounts of appearance and weight concerns, health behavior self-judgment, gratitude for isolation, body appreciation, maternal healthcare concerns, COVID health concerns, and health and safety strategies. We conclude with implications and recommendations for supporting pregnant people and their embodied well-being during health crises.

A Longitudinal and Comparative Content Analysis of Instagram Fitness Posts.

Body dissatisfaction is among the most common mental health challenges experienced by women and has been identified as a risk factor for disordered eating. Research has found that exposure to social media images depicting thin, muscular bodies, often dubbed 'fitspiration', may contribute to body dissatisfaction. Image-centred social media platforms, such as Instagram, have rising popularity among adolescents and young adults. However, little is known about the content of images produced by different fitness-related sources, such as those from fitness brands compared with individual users, and how fitness content on social media is evolving over time. This study sought to determine whether Instagram content varied between female fitness influencers and brands and how this content changed between 2019 and 2021. A longitudinal content analysis was conducted on a sample of 400 Instagram images using a coding scheme developed specifically for this project. The scheme coded images for fit ideal body depiction, fitness focus, objectification, and sexualisation. Chi-square tests indicated that female fitness influencer content was more sexualised and portrayed more of the fit ideal, while fitness brands produced more Instagram content with a fitness focus. There were no significant overall longitudinal changes for any of the four key variables. However, when looking at longitudinal changes by account type, fitness-focused influencer content increased while fitness-focused brand content decreased over time. These findings highlight discernible differences in content produced by different Instagram account types. It points future research towards the consideration of potential moderating factors, such as account type, when exploring the impact of social media images on body image and mental health.

Social Touch Somatotopically Affects Mental Body Representations.

In pre-Covid days, many daily actions such as hand shaking or cheek kissing implied physical contact between our body and that of other people. With respect to touching an inanimate object (objectual touch), touching a person (social touch) concerns not only touching a human body, but also that this body belongs to a living person. This fundamental difference also may affect the way we figure our own movements and perceptions or, in other words, how we mentally represent our own body. To test this hypothesis, we asked 30 neurotypical participants to perform mental rotation of images representing hands, full bodies, and feet (an active cognitive task able to activate body representations without need of moving) in two tactile conditions: holding (one in each hand) either the thumbs of another person (social touch) or two plastic cylinders (objectual touch) of about the same circumference and size. Results showed that only mental rotation of hand images was affected by varying the tactile conditions, in that participants were faster during social than objectual touch. This suggests that the nature of hand-related tactile input (social or objectual touch) influences local (hand) and not global (body) mental representations of the body, and in a very somatotopic manner (hands but not feet). We interpret these findings with reference to the differentiation between sensorimotor (body schema) and visuospatial (body image) dynamics in the mental representation of our body. The present study shows that external social factors can affect the internal mental representations of one's own body.

Looking beyond zoom fatigue: The relationship between video chatting and appearance satisfaction in men and women.

OBJECTIVE: The COVID-19 pandemic led to a transition to the utilization of video chatting services as the main form of communication for work, family, and friends. However, the repercussions of this change are not fully known, and issues regarding appearance satisfaction are particularly salient. The purpose of the current study was to examine the relationship between video chatting and appearance satisfaction in a sample of men and women. METHOD: The current study utilizes cross-sectional data from 618 participants (Age: M = 33.2; 54.1% women) to evaluate whether average video chat usage predicts appearance satisfaction, and whether this association is dependent upon appearance comparison or self-objectification. RESULTS: Results indicated that individuals who spent more time video chatting reported higher appearance satisfaction. Additionally, appearance comparison and self-objectification were not significant moderators, and the association between video chat usage and appearance satisfaction did not differ based on gender. Usage of the touch-up feature, gallery view, and amount of time spent looking at oneself were associated with appearance comparisons, while adjusting lighting and camera angles and amount of time spent looking at oneself were associated with self-objectification. DISCUSSION: The results may indicate that while overall time spent video chatting may be associated with lower appearance concerns, examination of the usage of specific features on video chatting platforms may be important to assess in the future. PUBLIC SIGNIFICANCE: This study demonstrates that overall time spent video chatting may be associated with lower appearance concerns. The usage, however, of specific features on video chatting platforms, such as touch-up feature, gallery view, and amount of time spent looking at oneself were associated with appearance comparisons. Additionally, adjusting lighting and camera angles, and amount of time spent looking at oneself are associated with self-objectification.