Social media is full of posts about fitness and healthy eating that aim to inspire and encourage a better lifestyle. But a new large-scale review study led by Olympic athletes published today reveals that this seemingly motivating content can sometimes have unexpected negative effects on young people’s health and wellbeing.
Research results published in peer-reviewed journals health communicationsuggesting that even short-term exposure to these posts can have unhealthy consequences, causing viewers to have lower self-esteem, feel dissatisfied with their appearance, and have unhealthy motivations regarding their health and well-being.
The findings are based on an extensive analysis of 26 studies involving 6,111 people aged 18 to 33 in seven countries, examining how exposure to ‘fitness’ content on social media – posts promoting exercise, healthy eating and the ideal toned body – influences health-related outcomes.
The study was led by Dr. Valerie Gruest, a Guatemalan swimmer who competed in the 2016 Summer Olympics. Dr. Groost is currently completing his Ph.D. in Media, Technology, and Society from Northwestern University in Illinois.
She co-authored the paper with Dr. Nathan Walter, an associate professor in the university’s School of Communication.
“Although fitspiration content is often perceived as positive and health-focused, our findings suggest it may be more harmful than helpful for some young people,” says Dr Groost, whose research interests include how new media shapes attitudes and behaviors.
Even for a short period of time, it can provoke harmful comparisons and reinforce unrealistic body standards, eroding self-esteem and encouraging more extreme or unsustainable approaches to eating and exercise. ”
Dr. Valerie Gruest, Northwestern University
Social media usage has increased rapidly in recent years, and most young people now use it regularly. While these platforms can support connection and self-expression, they can also expose users to ideal standards, encourage comparisons, and impact mental health. Fitspiration, often shortened to “Fitspo,” is an example of content that may seem beneficial but can be risky.
With nearly 100 million posts using hashtags like #fitspire and #fitspo and billions of views on platforms like Instagram and TikTok, many young people are frequently exposed to this content, whether intentionally or not. Despite its popularity, its effects on health and well-being are still relatively unstudied.
“Since my days as an athlete, I have been fascinated by fitness content, where it was often held up as an ideal in elite training environments. But even then, I knew that these physical standards did not reflect the reality of training for performance, especially when following a balanced, sustainable diet, and even when training for several hours a day,” explains Dr. Groost.
“That curiosity has stayed with me as a researcher. I want to understand more about how this kind of content actually affects people.”
To further investigate this issue, Dr. Groost and Dr. Walter looked at data from experimental studies published between 2015 and 2023, primarily in the United States, but also in the United Kingdom, Australia, Canada, Ireland, Italy, and New Zealand. Participants were typically shown 10 to 100 congruent images or videos, and their behavioral and psychological outcomes were compared to those exposed to nonconforming content.
Statistical analysis showed that exposure to fitness content increased social comparison, decreased body image, increased negative emotions, and made diet and exercise motivations stronger and, in some cases, unrealistic. These patterns are broadly consistent across gender, age, and body mass index, suggesting that the effects may extend beyond the most commonly studied groups, such as young women.
“While we expected some negative effects, we were struck by how strong and consistent the effects were,” Dr. Groost said.
“Our findings demonstrate a rather worrying pattern. This type of exposure can have negative effects on both psychological well-being and health behaviors, making it all the more important to continue to investigate its effects.”
Dr. Walter, whose research focuses on the power of strategic storytelling and correcting misinformation, concludes: “This study adds to the debate about the impact of social media on young people’s health and mental well-being, and the role of emotions and emotions in social influence.
“Unlike traditional media, fitspiration continuously delivers highly curated and idealized images, meaning young people are likely to be repeatedly exposed to this content in their daily lives. As its popularity grows, understanding the impact of this continued exposure will be key to supporting healthier engagement in the future.”
Although the main strength of this analysis is the inclusion of studies from multiple countries, the authors note some limitations. Although the majority of participants were from developed countries and primarily women, reporting of factors such as race, ethnicity, and body composition was inconsistent, making it difficult to understand how these effects differed among more diverse populations.
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Reference magazines:
Gruest, V., & Walter, N. (2026) Lifting the screen for fitspiration: A meta-analysis. health communication. DOI: 10.1080/10410236.2026.2653191. https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/10410236.2026.2653191.
