Fit and fun: Content analysis investigating positive body image dimensions of adolescents’ Facebook images

Abstract

Body-positive content on social media offers a promising approach to promote positive body image (PBI). However, we need further research in order to better characterize and understand its nature. This study provides a content analysis of adolescents’ image-based posts on Facebook. We aimed to determine whether the theoretical six-facet conceptualization of PBI was reflected in adolescents’ posts, and whether there were different trends according to gender and time, over a 3-year period. A set of 6,503 images posted by 66 adolescents (51.5% male), were coded for PBI attributes. The results indicate that inner positivity and appreciation of body functionality through involvement in sports and fun activities were the most represented PBI facets. Conversely, imagery representing taking care of the body via healthy food/beverage choices, embracing body diversity, and filtering information in a body-preserving manner, was rarely used to project self-image on Facebook. Gender differences were only found in the appreciation of body functionality via sports activities (more prevalent in boys) and investment in appearance using benign methods, such as the use of cosmetics (more prevalent in girls). Posts addressing appearance and health-promoting self-care behaviors tended to increase in mid-adolescence. We conclude that the adolescents’ posts on Facebook reflected several PBI characteristics, with a particular focus on those that enhance a functional view of the body. Future social media and school-level initiatives should prioritize the development of attuned self-care as well as mechanisms to filter messages that could endanger PBI, while also increasing the visibility of the diverse bodies that exist in the world.