Body-positive social media content had mixed results across body-image measures
A review reported immediate gains in body satisfaction and emotional well-being, but several other measures showed no significant changes. The size and durability of these results remain unclear.
Based on the published abstract. The full paper may contain additional methods, results and limitations.
The 30-second takeaway
The review reported immediate improvements in body satisfaction and emotional well-being with body-positive content. It also found gains on trait body-appreciation measures, while state measures showed no significant effects. Longitudinal studies reported sustained improvements in satisfaction with consistent exposure, but their designs and follow-up lengths are unspecified here, leaving the evidence for lasting causal effects unclear.
This abstract-based summary cannot establish the size of the reported benefits: effect estimates and confidence intervals are absent. Study variability and unspecified follow-up lengths also limit interpretation of how consistently results apply and how long they last.
Appreciation depended on the measure
Body appreciation results differed by assessment type. Gains were statistically significant on trait measures, but state measures showed no significant effects. That difference does not establish that any improvement persisted over time.
Other outcomes remained uncertain
Body dissatisfaction and body functionality measures showed no significant changes. The review also described limited effects on body surveillance and social comparison. Improvements in satisfaction therefore cannot establish benefits across every outcome; nonsignificant findings do not establish an absent effect.
The original publication
Impact of body-positive social media content on body image perception.
Jiménez-García AM, Arias N, Hontanaya EP et al.
J Eat Disord · 2025
- PubMed ID
- 40713881
- Record checked
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