(Credit: Andy Gin/Shutterstock)
ADELAIDE, Australia — Researchers have known for a while that spending too much time on social media can lead to unrealistic beauty standards and poor self-image. Among young men, platforms like TikTok and Instagram can pressure guys to keep working towards a more muscular physique, even if they are already fit.
A recent study published in New Media & Society has found that men fixated on likes and comments on their posts were more likely to show signs of muscle dysmorphia. It’s a distorted belief that their body is small and weak when that is not really the case. The latest research shows social media fueling muscle dysmorphia and creating unhealthy obsessions for six-pack abs and perfect pecs.
“Previous research has largely focused on women, but we’re now seeing that men are also vulnerable to the pressures of online body ideals,” says lead study author Luigi Donnarumma, a psychology honors graduate from the University of South Australia, in a media release.
The researchers surveyed almost 100 men between 18 and 34 on their social media activity. All confessed to viewing celebrity, fashion, and fitness content on social media platforms.
The link between muscular dysmorphia and social media was apparent when men interacted with the feedback from other social media users. Nineteen percent of men displayed symptoms related to muscle dysmorphia. According to the researchers, these young men were at a high risk of developing unrealistic expectations of their bodies.
“Muscle dysmorphia is an emerging issue, and our study shows that social media isn’t just a platform for sharing content: it’s a powerful source of social validation that can significantly impact how young men perceive their bodies,” says Donnarumma.
“Men are often exposed to hyper-muscular ideals online, particularly through fitness and celebrity content,” says Dr. John Mingoia, a lecturer at the University of South Australia and a study co-author. “When these posts attract a high volume of likes and positive comments, they reinforce the message that this is the body standard that men should strive for. Over time, this can lead to harmful behaviors such as excessive exercising, restricted eating, and even steroid use.”
One of the best ways to stop muscle dysmorphia is to prevent it from happening in the first place. The researchers advise limiting the time spent checking your social media posts. Additionally, they propose men seek out mental health programs targeted at addressing body issues such as muscle dysmorphia.
Paper Summary
Methodology
This study used an online survey to gather data on social media use and muscle dysmorphia (MD) symptoms among 95 young Australian men. Participants, aged 18 to 34, were recruited through university flyers, gyms, and social media ads targeting those interested in fitness. Excluded from the study were individuals with previous diagnoses related to body dysmorphia or eating disorders, ensuring a general population sample without prior clinical concerns.
Participants completed the survey on Qualtrics, which included questions about the frequency of viewing celebrity, fashion, and fitness content on social networking sites (SNSs), the importance they placed on received likes and comments, and their MD symptom levels. Measures were carefully adapted for SNS-specific contexts, making it possible to investigate associations between specific social media activities and MD indicators.
Key Results
The findings showed that the importance placed on receiving likes and comments was a significant predictor of MD symptoms, even after accounting for demographics like age, BMI, and workout frequency. Other activities—such as viewing celebrity, fashion, and fitness content—were positively correlated with MD symptoms but did not independently predict MD when controlling for demographic factors. Overall, the study suggests that social approval on SNSs (via likes and comments) may play a substantial role in MD symptom development.
Study Limitations
The study’s cross-sectional design limits its ability to determine causation; it can only suggest associations. Additionally, the use of self-reported data may introduce bias, as participants’ perceptions and experiences with social media content could vary. Although recruitment was from general gym members, the advertising may have attracted a specific subgroup of men particularly focused on fitness, potentially skewing results. Lastly, since MD was not clinically diagnosed in participants, findings are limited to self-reported symptoms rather than confirmed MD cases.
Discussion & Takeaways
The study highlights that men who place high value on social feedback (likes and comments) might experience greater muscle dysmorphia symptoms. This suggests that the interactive components of social media, which offer immediate validation or rejection, could be more influential than passive content viewing alone. These insights are crucial for developing mental health interventions, especially those targeting social media literacy and self-perception in young men. Educating young men about managing social feedback and understanding the unrealistic standards often depicted online could be an effective strategy in reducing MD symptoms.
Funding & Disclosures
This study was conducted without external funding. The authors disclosed no financial interests or conflicts of interest related to this research.
