They say comparison is the thief of joy — but comparing one’s body to the “perfect” ones on social media isn’t the only way apps like Instagram and TikTok can mess with body image.
A University of South Australia study found that another social media habit among men is an indicator that they may obsess over their physiques — to the point of muscle dysphoria.
The researchers discovered further evidence that this troubling habit can be a risk factor of “body image disturbance,” but you wouldn’t be able to tell by trawling through the accounts they follow or reading their DMs.
Published in New Media & Society, the study found that men can be deeply affected by how many likes and comments they receive on posts about their bodies.
Those who placed higher importance on social media engagement were more like to show risk factors for muscle dysphoria, a type of body dysmorphic disorder characterized by a preoccupation that one’s body is insufficiently muscular or lean, according to the American Psychiatric Association.
Muscle dysphoria is severe enough that sufferers’s daily functioning is often impaired: they may resort to extreme diet and exercise regimens and prioritize those habits over socializing.
The researchers tested participants for indicators of muscle dysmorphia, then had them rate how important it was that they receive social media engagement.
They were unsurprised to see that having more muscle dysphoria indicators was “significantly” correlated with placing a high importance on social media likes and comments.
“Previous research has largely focused on women, but we’re now seeing that men are also vulnerable to the pressures of online body ideals,” Luigi Donnarumma, who led the study, said in a press release.
“Muscle dysmorphia is an emerging issue, and our study shows that social media isn’t just a platform for sharing content: it’s a powerful source of social validation that can significantly impact how young men perceive their bodies.”
The University of South Australia researchers also cited a 2020 study that focused on men who regularly weightlift. They found that when these men received more likes and comments on social media posts, it motivated them to work out more.
And it’s not just comments and likes on their own posts that are a driving factor in how they feel about their six-packs.
Dr. John Mingoia, a co-author of the new study, noted that these men are taking note of the online approval other men get, too.
“Men are often exposed to hyper-muscular ideals online, particularly through fitness and celebrity content,” he said.
“When these posts attract a high volume of likes and positive comments, they reinforce the message that this is the body standard that men should strive for. Over time, this can lead to harmful behaviors such as excessive exercising, restricted eating, and even steroid use.”