Athletes, Social Media, Self-Esteem and Body Image (10/10)

While primarily a study evaluating the relationship between social media, body image, self-esteem and eating disorders, this study does have interesting implications for athletes and the content and interactions they generate with their followers via social media. Specifically, it states that interactions with athletes on social media “could influence societal standards and virtually support beauty ideals and, in turn, encourage body dissatisfaction”. This underscores the notion that social media is a powerful transmitter of messages about weight and appearance.