Why Cultivating Body Positivity in the Digital Age is So Important

Sally wakes up and lets out a big yawn. It’s 6:40am.

She hits the alarm, reaches for her phone, and taps on Instagram. From the moment her feed loads, she’s flooded with perfectly curated highlight reels of models, celebrities, and her friends — one of whom just posted a gym selfie, titled “my happy place.”

She sighs and looks down at her belly, feels a storm of emotions bubble up inside, and begrudgingly gets up to start the school day. Where’s the body positivity here?

The aforementioned friend at the gym, Jeff, woke up at 5:00am, and immediately went for the calorie tracking app. He opens his playlist with a series of high-intensity workouts and looks in the mirror. He’s got a six-pack and toned muscles after a strict exercise regime.

But he still sees an overweight boy. He used to get called “fat” almost daily at recess as a child, and it stuck.

Both examples above illustrate examples of body image issues, from alternative perspectives. Sally may have started unconsciously comparing herself to the dozens of beauty queens on Instagram, whereas Jeff was likely trying to calm his inner anxiety about the nagging, destructive voices from his childhood suggesting that he’s still overweight.

People can develop body dysmorphia from a young age, especially as their brains are still developing and absorbing new information from the media and salient role models. Their role models and friends exert a huge influence over what they consider “in,” “hip,” or “cool,” and body shapes definitely fall right under that umbrella.

Studies have found that lower body image satisfaction seemed to be correlated with — according to the Big Five personality traits — higher levels of Neuroticism (N) and lower levels of Extraversion (E) as well as Conscientiousness (C). Longer hours on social media also contribute to body image dissatisfaction.

Individuals who possess the blend of traits above may be less inclined to adhere to a consistent workout regime and feel anxious about “measuring up” to an impossibly high external (and/or internal) set of standards for what they deem to be physically beautiful.

Let’s take a closer look at how body dysmorphia differs by gender and how greater societal factors influence youth and adolescents to become obsessed with social media and their body image. Finally, we’ll wrap up with the promising light at the end of the tunnel with the body positivity (#BoPo) movement.

The Boom of Botox and Filters

The plastic surgery industry has grown by 11.2% in 2022 alone. That involves botox and plastic surgeries like butt lifts, nose jobs, chin reduction, and cheek suction. From special physiques such as the “slim thick” look popularised by many celebrities such as the Kardashians or the singers like Nicki Minaj.

A staggering 41.3% increase in aesthetic surgery has grown over the last four years, from 2018–2022. Younger people have also become more inclined to go under the knife to attain these societally appropriate standards of beauty. In 2021 as well as 2022, liposuction was the most popular procedure, with a 21.1% increase.

Why does the demand for these procedures keep climbing? The explosion of social media influencers may be a frontrunner in the phenomenon. Uncannily realistic body modification filters that can make anyone’s derriere pop or muscles more defined can paint a false image of their true self; when the gap between the idealised self and true self grows too wide, that’s a whole other animal to deal with.

Body Dysmorphia: Gender Differences

In terms of body dysmorphia, guys are often overlooked. They often suffer from BD, comorbid with eating disorders (ED) and muscle dysmorphia (MD). With fictional characters like Superman and Batman flooding children’s comics from a young age, boys may learn that it’s their duty to “be strong” and “play the hero” to fit into their gender role.

The original Eating Disorders Examination Questionnaire (EDE-Q) cutoff point is not sensitive for capturing ED risk cases in males. Concerningly, the prevalence rate of body dysmorphic disorder-muscle dysmorphia (BDD-MD) and ED in university males is 1.3% and 1.4%, respectively. 0.7% share both disorders.

Researchers have looked through self-perceived attractiveness, self-esteem, body-shame, body-pride, authentic and hubristic pride, and personality as described in revised reinforcement sensitivity (RRS) theory. In a nutshell, the RRS theory suggests that emotions and motivation are the cornerstones to underlying trait individual differences.

Men tend to opt for dietary supplement consumption, which is a dangerously widespread behaviour among university males, even healthy ones; protein shakes, bulking diets, “dirty bulking.” Women were more likely to try out fad diets such as juice cleanses and intermittent fasting.

Societal Pressures to Stay Thin…or Bulk Up

Interestingly, the “ideal” body type has always fluctuated through history. Even today, the standard for the “perfect” man or woman varies. Ancient Greeks, for instance, saw chubbiness as a status symbol. They believed it represented fertility and richness — a garden to raise the next generation.

Take the photoshop study for example. 18 different edits to an original full-body photograph of both a lady and a man. Some countries emphasised larger eyes and a fairer skin tone (most of Asia), whereas others focused on luscious hair and toned muscles (most of Europe). A chiselled jaw and muscular appearance was preferred for the photoshopped male in the States.

Breast augmentation surgery remains as the most common surgical procedure for women, with 2.2 million procedures and a shocking 29% increase compared to 2021. The top countries by plastic surgery popularity (in descending order) are the United States, Brazil, Japan, China, then Korea.

Shame can be associated with verbal bullying from a young age, statements like “eat less, you’re gaining too much weight,” or “those jeans look tight on you,” can stick with a person for longer than necessary. During late youth or early adolescence, teenagers may opt for procedures, risky diets without the guidance of a dietician, or even steroids.

Celebrities Go Through This, Too

Zac Efron looked really buff and ripped in Baywatch. However, he went through an extremely emotionally taxing workout regime in order to achieve his physique. He admitted that during the training, he felt depressed and drained from the gruelling strength training he had to undertake in order to secure the role.

On the flip side of the coin, Vincent D’Onofrio has gained most weight for a movie role; 70lbs to play Leonard “Gomer Pyle” Lawrence in Full Metal Jacket. He went from an intelligent, lean fit actor to a troubled, clumsy man with an onslaught of psychological issues. D’Onofrio wanted a challenge, which is why he embarked on a journey to become unrecognisable.

Dangerous eating habits (bingeing) can be demonstrated by celebrities who share their Mukbangs such as Nikocado Avocado; in the pursuit of Internet fame (he used to be vegan). His viewers wanted to see him wolf down massive amounts of food in a concerningly short amount of time, and he was blindsighted to the attention that his health suffered as a result.

Towards More Body Positivity in the Future

Attire companies such as Aerie are already starting to promote the body positivity movement. Slogans such as “Be Real” and “Be You” flood their instagram pages, as they purposefully recruit models of all body types and ethnicities, to showcase a realistic picture of what it means to feel comfortable in one’s skin.

Body positivity still has a long way to go. Which brands will successfully pivot the movement and encourage teens to own their health and physique?

Body dysmorphia can inflict profound emotional distress, leading people to perceive flaws in their appearance that fail to line up with reality. These distorted self-perceptions can trigger anxiety, depression, and a pervasive sense of inadequacy.

Luckily, the embrace of body positivity offers an antidote to the problem, by fostering self-acceptance and challenging these ever-fluctuating standards as dictated by the media.

By encouraging a more inclusive view on bodies, we can all help to dismantle harmful norms, promote mental well-being, and celebrate the diverse beauty inherent in every individual.

Originally on personality-psychology.com.

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