Beware of toxic TikTok #fitspo videos, researchers say

As the Australian government considers banning social media for children, researchers from Flinders University warn that TikTok “fitspiration” videos reinforce harmful gendered body ideals and often spread false health information.

A new study has found that after analyzing 200 fitspiration videos on TikTok, worrying trends are emerging in the way fitness ideals are presented, the credibility of health information, and the qualifications of fitness influencers.

Most of the videos were posted by fitness influencers and 60% of the videos were found to contain incorrect or harmful information.

The article“’You Worked Out to Get a Flat Stomach and a Big Butt’: A Content Analysis of Fitspiration Videos on TikTok,” by Samantha Pryde, Eva Kemps, and Ivanka Prichard, was published in Body image.

“Our research highlights concerns about triggering and misleading information being spread by unqualified influencers and that we need to scrutinize the TikTok fitness community much more closely,” said lead researcher Samantha Pryde.

“TikTok fitspiration videos often promote an idealized image of body types. There are concerns that this leads to negative body image, especially among young women.

“The content generally depicted and promoted an ideal ‘thin’ body type, indicating that thinness is still a major cause of body issues in women, which can negatively impact their physical and mental health.

“Alarmingly, we found that most videos spread negative messages such as sexualization, body shaming and excessive dieting.

“As social media continues to influence perceptions of fitness and beauty, there is an urgent need for both viewers and content creators to critically evaluate the content shared and the qualifications of those providing health advice,” Pryde said.

The study found that when viewing harmful themes, more than half of the content featuring women involved sexualisation (55.7%), followed by body shaming (20%) and promotion of eating disorders (8.6%).

“It is concerning that we found that the vast majority of influencers behind the content did not have credible health and fitness qualifications. This highlights a widespread problem where the popularity of influencers overshadows the accuracy and safety of the information they provide,” said Professor Eva Kemps, co-author of the paper.

There was a striking gender difference in the objectification shown in videos. Female content often objectified specific body parts, such as their thighs and buttocks, while male videos often obscured faces. This trend was not seen in previous studies of fitspiration on other platforms, such as Instagram.

However, the male body was also objectified, with the ideal body depicted as muscular and slim.

“This changing objectification also raises concerns about the impact of fitspiration on male body image, with growing evidence suggesting that male viewers are similarly influenced by idealised images,” said Professor Kemps.

Interestingly, the analysis found that women’s fitspiration videos were more likely to feature one person, while men’s videos often featured multiple participants.

“This could reflect differences in motivation, with men typically participating in sports in a social context driven by community or competition, as opposed to women’s intrinsic motivations, such as solo self-pleasure and well-being.”

Data shows that TikTok is a hugely influential and fast-growing platform with a total of 1.5 billion monthly active users worldwide. People aged 13 and above can use the platform.

“Our study illustrates the need for more research and stricter regulations regarding influencer advertising on social media,” said associate professor Ivanka Prichard, an expert in body image and exercise.

“We need more collaboration with public health organizations so that fitness influencers are encouraged to share evidence-based information that promotes healthy, realistic expectations around body image and fitness.

“In a world increasingly influenced by digital media, monitoring the impact of fitspiration content remains crucial to promoting and protecting healthier body image narratives and encouraging a supportive fitness culture,” said Associate Professor Prichard.