Ask an expert: Does social media cause poor body image?

In this episode of Likes and Limits, in partnership with Instagram, host (and mum) Pia Miranda speaks with GP and mum-of-two Dr Preeya Alexander about the relationship between social media and teen body image. Plus, get tips on how to uplift and support positive body image in your teen.

Watch the episode below, or jump to the ‘I want to know more about…’ section for more resources and tips.

Download a video transcript.

I want to know more about…

How social media affects body image

Teens are shaped by the world around them. While social media can expose your teen to many different people, lifestyles and body types, it also means they can be exposed to harmful content around bodies and appearance.

This kind of content can look like:

• edited/photoshopped images that promote unrealistic body standards

• filters that alter physical features (e.g. skin tone, facial structure and body shape)

• diet and food content (e.g. ‘What I eat in a day’ or ‘Day on a plate’ posts) that may include misleading information about nutrition or encourage food restriction

• body checking content, where people post videos of themselves highlighting a particular part of their body (e.g. waist or jaw)

• fitness challenges or workout routines that promote an ‘ideal’ body type

• posts that promote behaviours associated with eating disorders.

Seeing this kind of content may lead your teen to constantly compare their body with others’ and feel they don’t have the ‘ideal’ body type. They may also be influenced to engage in the unhealthy habits they see on their feeds. Get more info about how social media can impact teen self-esteem.

Though it can have an impact, social media isn’t the sole cause of negative body image in teens. Your teen’s body image is affected by many different factors, including how you talk about body image at home. Learn more about how teens develop negative body image and how to recognise the early signs of an eating disorder.

Body image in teen boys

We hear a lot about poor body image in girls, but boys can also experience body image issues. Unrealistic body types (e.g. very muscular frames) are often presented in the media and online as the ‘ideal’ body type for men. This can lead to boys feeling they aren’t ‘muscly enough’ or ‘tall enough’. Hear what Dr Alexander has to say about this in the video below.

Download a video transcript.

It’s important to constantly reassure your teen that, as Dr Alexander says, there’s no ‘ideal’ body type. By openly discussing body image with your son, you’ll help to break the stigma that many boys face around sharing their body image concerns. You could also share with them these two articles from ReachOut.com: Guys and body image and What men think about body image. 

Visit Butterfly to learn more about body image in boys and men.

How to protect my teen from harmful body image content online

There are many tools you can use to protect your teen from seeing harmful body image content online. Remember that your teen’s feed is their space, so they’ll be quite protective of it. To avoid conflict with them, set up safety tools together and let your teen’s voice be heard in the discussion.

Here’s how to set up safety tools and curate a more positive online experience for your teen.

1. Have an open discussion about what’s on their feed

Start the conversation by asking questions like, ‘What kind of content do you enjoy seeing on social media?’ or ‘Are there certain types of posts that make you feel uncomfortable?’ This will help you to understand their digital world better and it opens the door for you both to express any concerns you may have.

2. Work together to set up safety tools on their account 

Write a list of words that you both don’t want appearing on their feed (e.g. ‘skinny’, ‘day on a plate’, ‘fitspo’). You can then set up any of the following safety tools to help filter out harmful content and curate a more body positive feed. 

• Teen Accounts (Instagram): Teen Accounts allows teens to select topics they want to see more of in Explore and automatically limits some types of sensitive content (e.g. cosmetic procedure videos) in places like Explore and Reels. All teens aged 13–16 will have these account settings by default.

• Hidden Words (Instagram): allows users to block certain keywords from appearing in their comments and direct messages (DMs).

• Personalise Your Feed (Instagram): allows users to curate which content they want to see on their feed.

• Parental controls (most platforms): visit eSafety to learn how to set up parental controls on different social media platforms.

3. Encourage your teen to follow positive role models online

There are plenty of creators and health professionals (like Dr Alexander) on social media who promote body satisfaction and things you can do to support your body image. Spend some time with your teen looking for these positive accounts. Ask your friends and family who they follow that makes them feel good, and suggest that your teen ask their friends, too.

While safety tools are an excellent resource in protecting your teen, they’re not fail-safe. Your teen may still see harmful content, so the best thing you can do is empower them with the emotional skills they need to protect themselves. You can do this by promoting body satisfaction or acceptance, teaching your teen to be resilient and encouraging them to think critically about the content they see.

A teen who feels good about their body and can figure out when content is promoting harmful habits is much more likely to skip a video that’s telling them to restrict their diet or to work out for three hours a day.

Being a positive role model

As a parent or carer, you’re in a powerful position to shape your teen’s body image. How you talk about their body, your own body, and body image in general, will significantly influence how your child feels about their appearance. 

Here are some tips to help you be a good body image role model at home: 

• Compliment your teen about things other than their body. Bring focus to their mind, talents, achievements, etc. Reinforce that confidence and kindness are more important than appearance.

• Be mindful of your own body talk. Teens often mirror what they hear, so avoid making negative comments about your own body. Instead, focus on praising what bodies can do – like being strong and capable – rather than on how they look.

• Promote joyful movement instead of focusing on weight or dieting. Encourage physical activity because it makes our bodies feel good and boosts energy, not as a way to change appearance. Offer a variety of nutritious foods because they nourish the body, not as a way to control weight.

• Avoid ‘food morality’. Dr Alexander has spoken at length about the importance of avoiding ‘food morality’, which is when we label foods as ‘good’ or ‘bad’. Promote a balanced approach where all foods can be part of a fulfilled, enjoyable lifestyle.

Read more tips on how to be a positive role model to your teen and how to help your teen feel more confident.

Accessing professional help

The sooner a teen gets professional help for body image issues, the less likely it is that those issues will escalate into an eating disorder. Learn how to get professional support for body image and eating disorders.

The Butterfly Foundation is a national service that provides free phone and online support for people experiencing body image issues or eating disorders, and for their loved ones. You can contact Butterfly on 1800 33 4673 with your questions and concerns and they’ll guide you through how best to support your teen.