Adolescent Exposure to Weight Loss Imagery on Instagram: A Content Analysis of Top Images

Background: Social media is a source of weight loss information for adolescents. However, engagement with image-based social media has been associated with reduced body image. This study describes weight loss imagery visible on an adolescent Instagram account. Methods: The top 600 images were captured from #weightloss on an adolescent (16 years, gender not specified) Instagram account in August 2020. Images were categorized and coded based on a predetermined ontology as food (nutrient-dense, energy-dense), people (group, individual, before/after), or text-focused by one coder (20% in duplicate, 90% agreement). Images of people were coded for sex and ethnicity and images of individuals coded for adiposity, muscularity, and pose. Results: Of 600 images, 208 (34.7%) were of individuals, predominantly females (83%) with white (37%), non-white (23%), or unclear (41%) ethnicity. Body types were thin (31%), average (43%), or higher weight (6%) with little-to-none (25%), visible (26%), or high (7%) muscularity. Almost half of images accentuated body features with a fitness/muscle accentuating (21%) or sexualized (21%) pose or both (3%). From 165 (27.5%) food images, 71% were nutrient-dense and 29% energy-dense. Of 107 (17.8%) before/after images, 90% depicted weight loss, 4% muscle building with 85% in females. From 93 (15.5%) text-focused images, 46% related to weight loss programs/products and few provided nutrition (n = 12, 13%) or exercise (n = 2, 2%) information. Conclusions: Most #weightloss imagery visible to adolescents on Instagram were of people, frequently females, with almost half of body-focused poses or before/after weight loss images. Few provide nutrition and exercise-related content.

Automated summary

The study found that most of the #weightloss imagery visible to adolescents on Instagram consists of photos of individuals, predominantly females, with almost half accentuating body features or depicting before/after weight loss comparisons. Few images provide content related to food, nutrition, and exercise.