Do appearance comparisons mediate the effects of thinspiration and fitspiration on body dissatisfaction, happiness, and disordered eating urges in women’s daily lives?

Abstract

We examined whether thinspo and fitspo exposure predicted women’s body dissatisfaction (BD), happiness, and disordered eating (DE) urges (binge-eating/purging, restrictive eating, and exercise) in daily life. A further aim was to assess whether these effects were stronger for thinspo versus fitspo exposure and whether upward appearance comparisons mediated the effect of thinspo-fitspo exposure on BD, happiness, and DE urges. Participants (N = 380 women) completed baseline measures and a 7-day ecological momentary assessment (EMA) investigating state-based experiences of thinspo-fitspo exposure, appearance comparisons, BD, happiness, and DE urges. Multilevel analyses revealed that thinspo-fitspo exposure was associated with greater BD and DE urges (but unrelated to happiness) at the same EMA time point. However, there was no association between thinspo-fitspo exposure and BD, happiness, and DE urges at the next EMA time-point. Thinspo relative to fitspo exposure was associated with greater BD (but unrelated to happiness and DE urges) at the same EMA time-point. The proposed mediation models were not supported in time-lagged analyses; such that upward appearance comparisons did not mediate the effects of thinspo-fitspo exposure on BD, happiness, and DE urges. Current findings provide novel micro-longitudinal data on the potentially direct detrimental effects of thinspo-fitspo exposure on women’s daily lives.