Honors Theses
Date of Award
Spring 5-9-2020
Document Type
Undergraduate Thesis
Department
Health, Exercise Science, and Recreation Management
First Advisor
Thomas Andre
Relational Format
Dissertation/Thesis
Abstract
Fitspiration accounts on social media are established to influence those that view or follow them to live a healthier lifestyle. However, just because these accounts are being viewed does not mean that the individuals are following the advice of these influencers. The purpose of this study is to gather data on how physical activity levels and body image are affected by the use, or knowledge of “fitspiration,” or inspiration on fitness and nutrition, accounts on social media among students at the University of Mississippi. The participants were 361 undergraduate students between the ages of 18 and 25 at the University of Mississippi Oxford campus (280 females, 80 males, and 1 other). A self-administered survey was used to gain the information necessary. Results showed that fitspiration accounts did not influence physical activity rates on campus; however, they do influence body image. Only 149 of the 361 respondents claimed to follow workout tips, while 182 individuals stated that viewing these accounts made them feel worse about their body image. It was concluded that while fitspiration accounts may not influence physical activity rates, it does have the ability to negatively influence body image as well as one’s overall perception of their health and wellness, especially among females.
Recommended Citation
Bowles, Anna, "Is Fitspiration Truly An Inspiration? How Social Media Accounts Dedicated To Fitness and Nutrition Affect Physical Activity Levels and Body Image Among College Students" (2020). Honors Theses. 1466.
https://egrove.olemiss.edu/hon_thesis/1466
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This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.