The influence of social media on body image perception and the development of eating disorders: An integrative review
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.33448/rsd-v15i1.50511Keywords:
Social media, Body image, Eating disorders, Algorithms, Adolescents.Abstract
Considering the growing prevalence of body dissatisfaction and the widespread dissemination of unattainable aesthetic standards on social media, which can act as a significant risk factor for the development of Eating Disorders (ED), this research had the general objective to analyze, through an integrative literature review, the relationship between the use of social networks and changes in body image and eating behavior. To this end, an Integrative Literature Review was performed, using the PubMed and BVS databases to select primary studies published between January 2020 and July 2025. Thus, it was observed that the non-critical use of social networks is consistently associated with body dissatisfaction and the risk of ED. Mechanisms such as upward comparison and the action of algorithms creating "echo chambers" intensify symptoms, directing toxic content. The influence is manifested in the search for thinness (in women) and muscularity (in men, with risk of Muscle Dysmorphia), with young Instagram and TikTok users being the most vulnerable. It is concluded that social networks exert a significant and complex influence on self-image, posing a public health challenge that demands preventive strategies and conscious use of the platforms.
References
American Psychiatric Association. (2014). Manual diagnóstico e estatístico de transtornos mentais: DSM-5 (5. ed.). Editora Artmed.
Benucci, S. B., et al. (2024). The impact of following Instagram influencers on women’s body dissatisfaction and eating disorder symptoms. Eating and Weight Disorders, 29(1), 15.
Bighetti, F., et al. (2004). Tradução e validação do Eating Attitudes Test em adolescentes do sexo feminino em Ribeirão Preto, São Paulo. Jornal Brasileiro de Psiquiatria, 53(6), 339-346.
Bratman, S. (1997). Health food junkies. Yoga Journal, 136, 42-50.
Cimino, S., et al. (2025). Body dissatisfaction, drive for thinness, and psychopathological symptoms in preadolescents who use Instagram. Current Psychology, 44.
Crossetti, M. G. O. (2012). Revisão integrativa de pesquisa na enfermagem o rigor cientifico que lhe é exigido. Rev Gaúcha Enferm. 33(2), 8-9.
Damázio, L. S., et al. (2024). Eating disorder risks associated with time spent using social media at an AMREC population in the coal mining region of Santa Catarina. Anais da Academia Brasileira de Ciências, 96(2), e20230367.
Festinger, L. (1954). A theory of social comparison processes. Human Relations, 7(2), 117-140.
Garner, D. M., et al. (1982). The Eating Attitudes Test: Psychometric features and clinical correlates. Psychological Medicine, 12(4), 871-878.
Griffiths, S., et al. (2024). Does TikTok contribute to eating disorders? A comparison of the TikTok algorithms belonging to individuals with eating disorders versus healthy controls. Body Image, 51, 101807.
Holland, G., & Tiggemann, M. (2016). A systematic review of the impact of the use of social networking sites on body image and disordered eating outcomes. Body Image, 17, 100-110.
Imperatori, C., et al. (2022). The association between social media addiction and eating disturbances is mediated by muscle dysmorphia-related symptoms: A cross-sectional study in a sample of young adults. Eating and Weight Disorders, 27(3), 1131-1140.
Jiménez, M., et al. (2025). The impact of social media on eating disorder risk and self-esteem among adolescents and young adults: A psychosocial analysis in individuals aged 16–25. Nutrients, 17(2), 219.
Jiotsa, B., et al. (2021). Social media use and body image disorders: Association between frequency of comparing one’s own physical appearance to that of people being followed on social media and body dissatisfaction and drive for thinness. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 18(6), 2880.
Logrieco, G., et al. (2021). The paradox of Tik Tok anti-pro-anorexia videos: How social media can promote non-suicidal self-injury and anorexia. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 18(3), 1041.
Pereira, A. S. et al. (2018). Metodologia da pesquisa científica. [free ebook]. Editora da UFSM.
Pope, H. G., et al. (1997). Muscle dysmorphia: An underrecognized form of body dysmorphic disorder. Psychosomatics, 38(6), 548-557.
Schmitt, L., et al. (2025). Tendencies of eating disordered behaviours in male content creators: A social media analysis. Journal of Eating Disorders, 13(1), 201.
Snyder, H. (2019). Literature review as a research methodology: An overview and guidelines. Journal of Business Research, Elsevier. 104(C), 333-9.
Stankiewicz-Bartecka, W., et al. (2024). Eating disorders risk assessment and body esteem among amateur and professional football players. Nutrients, 16(7), 945.
Sunstein, C. R. (2017). #Republic: Divided democracy in the age of social media. Princeton University Press.
Tiggemann, M., & Zaccardo, M. (2015). "Exercise to be fit, not skinny": The effect of fitspiration imagery on women's body image. Body Image, 15, 61-67.
Downloads
Published
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2026 Antonio Marcial Abud Ferreira Junior, Célio Carmelino Pinheiro Pinto Junior, Lucas Thiago Vieira Paraguassu, Willan Caio Campos Rodrigues, Luísa Margareth Carneiro da Silva
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
Authors who publish with this journal agree to the following terms:
1) Authors retain copyright and grant the journal right of first publication with the work simultaneously licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution License that allows others to share the work with an acknowledgement of the work's authorship and initial publication in this journal.
2) Authors are able to enter into separate, additional contractual arrangements for the non-exclusive distribution of the journal's published version of the work (e.g., post it to an institutional repository or publish it in a book), with an acknowledgement of its initial publication in this journal.
3) Authors are permitted and encouraged to post their work online (e.g., in institutional repositories or on their website) prior to and during the submission process, as it can lead to productive exchanges, as well as earlier and greater citation of published work.
