This content is first seen at Medscape website.
Disclaimer: The information provided in this site is correct at the time of publication. POMConnect assumes no responsibility or liability for any errors or omissions in the content of this site.
For decades, media outlets such as movies, billboards, and magazines have been promoting unrealistic beauty standards. The advent of social media has intensified this exposure, especially for the younger generation.
According to Dr. Gary S. Goldfield, a senior scientist at the Children’s Hospital of Eastern Ontario Research Institute in Ottawa, Canada, young people spend an average of 6 to 8 hours daily on screens, with a significant portion of that time on social media. This exposure to edited images of models, celebrities, and fitness influencers perpetuates an unattainable beauty ideal that influences the self-perception of impressionable individuals, leading to dissatisfaction with their bodies.
Although research has shown a connection between frequent social media usage and body image concerns, there are gaps in understanding. Much of the existing research relies on correlational data and doesn’t always focus on vulnerable groups. Furthermore, the question of whether reducing social media usage could mitigate its negative effects has not been explored.
In a recent study published in the journal “Psychology of Popular Media,” researchers, led by Goldfield, found that limiting social media use to 1 hour per day improved body image among older teens and young adults in just three weeks. This randomized controlled study provides stronger evidence of the causal link between social media and body image concerns than previous research. It’s the first study to indicate that reducing social media consumption can lead to an improved body image.
Nancy Lee Zucker, a psychology and neuroscience professor at Duke University, stated that these findings offer valuable insights that can guide young people and parents on healthier social media usage practices. Zucker was not involved in the study.
What the Researchers Did
Goldfield and his team enlisted undergraduate psychology students, aged between 17 and 25, who typically spent a minimum of 2 hours daily on social media via smartphones and exhibited signs of depression or anxiety, as participants for their research.
Link to the full News: (Medscape)
