It’s important to note that research into social media and body image is still in its early stages, and most studies are correlational.
Now that influencers fill up our feeds, it's easy to imagine that social media, too, is all bad when it comes to body image.īut the reality is more nuanced, and there may be ways to curate your Instagram feed to make you feel happier in your own skin – or, at least, stop you feeling worse. Much has been made over the years about how mainstream media presents unrealistic beauty standards in the form of photoshopped celebrities or stick-thin fashion models.
But have you ever wondered how all those images of other people’s bodies – whether your friend’s holiday snap or a celebrity’s gym selfie – could be affecting how you view your own? If you mindlessly scroll through Instagram or Facebook whenever you get a few seconds of downtime, you’re far from alone.
