Presentation Type
Poster
Presentation Type
Submission
Keywords
fitspiration, orthorexia, Tripartite Model of Influence, social media, men
Department
Psychology
Major
Psychology
Abstract
Orthorexia nervosa (ON) is a condition characterized by an unhealthy obsession with eating healthy food, often leading to psychological impairment (Oberle & Lipschuetz, 2018). Fitspiration is a social media trend that has gained popularity in recent years, showcasing idealized physiques and promoting rigid dietary practices along with intense exercise in pursuit of health. Using Thompson et al.'s (1999) Tripartite Influence Model of the Sociocultural Theory as a framework, the researchers hypothesized that increased viewership of fitspiration content would be associated with higher orthorexia symptomatology and would be moderated by the internalization of sociocultural ideals and physical appearance comparisons. Participants included 219 young adult men who were recruited through two platforms, Sona and Prolific. Their engagement with fitspiration, orthorexia symptomatology, sociocultural attitudes towards appearance, and physical appearance comparisons were assessed. The findings partially supported the hypotheses, indicating a significant relationship between fitspiration viewership and ON symptomatology. However, internalization of sociocultural ideals and appearance comparison did not moderate this relationship. The study uniquely contributes to the literature by focusing on men, whose body image concerns are often overlooked in eating disorder research. While fitspiration may contribute to orthorexia in some populations, the role of sociocultural ideals and appearance comparisons remains unclear. The findings from the current study suggest that further research is needed to explore the complex mechanisms linking social media exposure to disordered eating, particularly the role of health-related perfectionism in orthorexia.
Faculty Mentor
Jennifer Harriger
Funding Source or Research Program
Not Identified
Location
Waves Cafeteria
Start Date
11-4-2025 1:00 PM
End Date
11-4-2025 2:00 PM
Included in
Fitspiration and the Prevalence of Orthorexia Symptomatology in a Male Population
Waves Cafeteria
Orthorexia nervosa (ON) is a condition characterized by an unhealthy obsession with eating healthy food, often leading to psychological impairment (Oberle & Lipschuetz, 2018). Fitspiration is a social media trend that has gained popularity in recent years, showcasing idealized physiques and promoting rigid dietary practices along with intense exercise in pursuit of health. Using Thompson et al.'s (1999) Tripartite Influence Model of the Sociocultural Theory as a framework, the researchers hypothesized that increased viewership of fitspiration content would be associated with higher orthorexia symptomatology and would be moderated by the internalization of sociocultural ideals and physical appearance comparisons. Participants included 219 young adult men who were recruited through two platforms, Sona and Prolific. Their engagement with fitspiration, orthorexia symptomatology, sociocultural attitudes towards appearance, and physical appearance comparisons were assessed. The findings partially supported the hypotheses, indicating a significant relationship between fitspiration viewership and ON symptomatology. However, internalization of sociocultural ideals and appearance comparison did not moderate this relationship. The study uniquely contributes to the literature by focusing on men, whose body image concerns are often overlooked in eating disorder research. While fitspiration may contribute to orthorexia in some populations, the role of sociocultural ideals and appearance comparisons remains unclear. The findings from the current study suggest that further research is needed to explore the complex mechanisms linking social media exposure to disordered eating, particularly the role of health-related perfectionism in orthorexia.
