New research revealed a consistent and direct link between posting edited photos on Instagram and risk factors for eating disorders. Specifically, digitally editing pictures to improve personal appearance before posting photos to Instagram increased weight and shape concerns in college students.
The study, which is published in the International Journal Eating Disorders, also found that posting photos (edited or unedited) contributed to greater anxiety and reinforced urges to restrict food intake and exercise compared with not posting photos.
“As more people turn to social media to stay connected, it's critically important to let others see you as you are. Compared with edited photos, we saw no decrease in the number of likes or comments for unedited photos on Instagram; knowing this could reduce harmful pressures to change how you look,” said co-author Pamela K. Keel, PhD, of Florida State University.
Additional Information
Link to Study: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/eat.23263
About Journal
With a mission to advance the scientific knowledge needed for understanding, treating, and preventing eating disorders, the International Journal of Eating Disorders (IJED) publishes rigorously evaluated, high-quality contributions to an international readership of health professionals, clinicians and scientists. The journal also draws the interest of patient groups and advocates focused on eating disorders, and many of the articles draw attention from mainstream media outlets.
Articles featured in the journal describe state-of-the-art scientific research on theory, methodology, etiology, clinical practice, and policy related to eating disorders, as well as contributions that facilitate scholarly critique and discussion of science and practice in the field. Theoretical and empirical work on obesity or healthy eating falls within the journal’s scope inasmuch as it facilitates the advancement of efforts to describe and understand, prevent, or treat eating disorders. IJED welcomes submissions from all regions of the world and representing all levels of inquiry (including basic science, clinical trials, implementation research, and dissemination studies), and across a full range of scientific methods, disciplines, and approaches.
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