“We’re Continually Comparing Ourselves to Something”: Navigating Body Image, Media, and Social Media Ideals at the Nexus of Appearance, Health, and Wellness

Monks, Helen; Costello, Leesa; Dare, Julie; Boyd, Elizabeth Reid

doi:10.1007/s11199-020-01162-w

Cited by 35 publications

(21 citation statements)

References 72 publications

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“…Nutrition, physical activity and sleep were prioritised above other individual health behaviours, reflecting findings in other research that has explored health behaviours that are important to preconception women [ 16 , 30 ]. Weight or physical appearance were seldom raised as important aspects of health or motivators for health behaviours by our participants, contrasting with how the media portrays optimal health alongside having a ‘perfect’ body [ 31 , 32 ]. Our participants and community advisors were wary of unrealistic expectations promoted by the media, preferring practical and achievable strategies to optimise aspects of health most important to them.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 92%

“…Our participants and community advisors were wary of unrealistic expectations promoted by the media, preferring practical and achievable strategies to optimise aspects of health most important to them. Interventions that target health behaviours in the preconception period should consider women’s preferences for holistic health and wellness messaging [ 32 ], and contain clear and realistic advice around aspects of health considered most important, namely nutrition, physical activity and sleep. Consideration should also be given to women’s reliance on social connections that support these behaviours.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Empowerment for behaviour change through social connections: a qualitative exploration of women’s preferences in preconception health promotion in the state of Victoria, Australia

et al. 2022

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Background Health behaviours in the preconception period have the potential to impact on fertility and pregnancy outcomes, and the health of all women regardless of pregnancy intention. Public awareness of this is low and interventions that promote behaviour change have not been integrated into real-world settings. Aims were to explore women’s understandings of health and health behaviours and what supports are important to promote behaviour change in the preconception period. Methods This qualitative study is the first phase of a broader co-design project set in the state of Victoria, Australia. Over 3 months, a series of in-depth interviews were conducted with female participants who were intending to become pregnant in the next 2 years (n = 6) and participants who were not intending to become pregnant in the next 2 years (n = 6). Community advisors (n = 8) aged 18-45 years provided feedback throughout the process. Coding of transcripts from interviews and meetings was undertaken by two researchers before a deductive process identified themes mapped to the COM-B framework. Results Nine themes and eight sub-themes were identified. Participants had a holistic view of health with nutrition, physical activity and sleep being most valued. Social connections were considered as being important for overall health and wellbeing and for promoting health behaviours. The only difference between groups was that pregnancy was an additional motivator for women who were planning to become pregnant in the next 2 years. A range of health information is available from health professionals and other sources. Unlimited access to information was empowering but sometimes overwhelming. Being listened to and shared experiences were aspects of social connections that validated participants and guided them in their decision-making. Conclusions Women valued their health and had a holistic view that includes physical, mental and social dimensions. Women viewed social connections with others as an opportunity to be listened to and to gain support that empowers behaviour change. Future interventions to promote behaviour change in preconception women should consider the importance all women placed on social connections and leverage off existing resources to connect women.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 92%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Empowerment for behaviour change through social connections: a qualitative exploration of women’s preferences in preconception health promotion in the state of Victoria, Australia

et al. 2022

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“…While body dissatisfaction refers to a negative subjective evaluation of a person's physical body size and/or shape ( 28 – 30 ), dysmorphic concern is a more specific concept that encapsulates not only behavioral, emotional, and cognitive components related with negative body image ( 27 , 31 ) but also the presence of maladaptive behaviors aimed at altering one's body ( 32 , 33 ). One of the components of dysmorphic concerns is in fact the presence of potentially harmful behaviors aimed at altering the body through excessive fasting and physical exercise, performance enhancing substances, engaging in excessive grooming, and undergoing cosmetic surgical treatments ( 34 , 35 ). As such, dysmorphic concerns entail distorted beliefs that one's body is defective that lead to marked social withdrawal ( 32 , 33 ) and they seem more recurrent in women ( 36 ).…”

Section: Polycystic Ovary Syndromementioning

confidence: 99%

Body mass index and quality of life in individuals with polycystic ovary syndrome: Dysmorphic concerns and eating disorders as mediators

Barberis

Calaresi

Cannavò

et al. 2022

Front. Public Health

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ObjectiveWeight issues, dysmorphic concerns and eating disorders are common among individuals with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) and are linked to poor quality of life (QoL). The goal of the current study was to examine whether the association between body mass index (BMI) and QoL was mediated by dysmorphic concerns, examining also the relations with eating disorder symptomatology.MethodsQuestionnaires were administered to 435 individuals with PCOS aged between 18 and 40 years (M = 27.62; SD = 4.83) to measure dysmorphic concerns, eating disorder symptoms and QoL. Participants were also asked to report their height and weight to compute their BMI.ResultsStructural equation modeling was used to observe the relationship between the variables. The results revealed a direct relationship between QoL, BMI, dysmorphic concerns and eating disorder symptomatology. In addition, dysmorphic concerns were related to BMI and eating disorder symptomatology. Furthermore, the results showed the mediating role of dysmorphic concerns and eating disorder symptoms in the relationship between BMI and QoL.ConclusionThe current results highlight the potential importance of harmful relationships with one's own body and food, explaining why weight issues may be linked to different levels of QoL in PCOS individuals. The implications of these findings are discussed.

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“…Motives, media, management, merit and metrics are the five dimensions of social media in the Indian beauty and wellness industry (Kaur and Kumar, 2021). Social media set higher expectations in the health and wellness sector, while in reality, the experience obtained is multi-faceted (Monks et al , 2021).…”

Section: Review Of the Literaturementioning

confidence: 99%

Social media: a blessing or a curse? Voice of owners in the beauty and wellness industry

Kaur

Kumar

2021

TQM

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PurposeThe rise in the use of Internet technologies and social media has shifted the marketing practices from offline to online. This study aims to determine the pros and cons of social media marketing in the beauty and wellness industry.Design/methodology/approachIn-depth interviews were conducted with the owners and marketing executives of beauty and wellness centers to understand the use of popular social media platforms in this industry and their pros and cons.FindingsThe researchers identified eight merits and seven demerits of social media in the beauty and wellness industry. Every respondent is happy and satisfied with social media use, particularly Instagram and Facebook. Irrespective of the demerits, they have shown the intention to increase its usage in the future. The merits override demerits; thus, social media is a blessing for this industry from the owners' perspective.Research limitations/implicationsThe research is exploratory and is confined to just one industry. Research implication is that the visual nature of social media makes it a powerful tool for the promotion of the beauty and wellness industry.Practical implicationsThe study's findings will be beneficial for small-scale businesses as it will push them to take advantage of this low-cost marketing tool.Social implicationsSocial media marketing is helpful for communication and marketing purposes for society.Originality/valueThe beauty and wellness industry remained unfocused by researchers because it is highly unorganized, fragmented and not regulated, yet has huge growth potential. This research will provide a closer look at this industry as well as social media marketing.

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“We’re Continually Comparing Ourselves to Something”: Navigating Body Image, Media, and Social Media Ideals at the Nexus of Appearance, Health, and Wellness

Cited by 35 publications

References 72 publications

Empowerment for behaviour change through social connections: a qualitative exploration of women’s preferences in preconception health promotion in the state of Victoria, Australia

Empowerment for behaviour change through social connections: a qualitative exploration of women’s preferences in preconception health promotion in the state of Victoria, Australia

Body mass index and quality of life in individuals with polycystic ovary syndrome: Dysmorphic concerns and eating disorders as mediators

Social media: a blessing or a curse? Voice of owners in the beauty and wellness industry

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