Obesity is a global epidemic (“Overweight and Obesity,” n.d.). The Internet can be a source for ideas and strategies to create a plan to achieve weight loss goals. While access to sound and healthy weight loss alternatives are available on the Internet, unhealthy practices are also plentiful (Lewis & Arbuthnott, 2012). In particular, much research has focused on the presence and impact of pro-eating disorder websites (Lewis & Arbuthnott, 2012; Roleau & von Ranson, 2011; Harper, Sperry & Thompson, 2008; Andrist, 2003; Norris, Boydell, Pinhas & Katzman, 2006; Abbate Daga, Gramaglia, Peiro & Fassino, 2006). Lewis and Arbuthnott (2012) indicate that sites using terms like “Thinspo” or “Thinsporation” often contain content most likely to lead to damaging weight loss practices. Terms used to promote engagement in healthy behavior choices like “Fitspo” or “Fitsporation” are increasingly popular on the Internet. Critics (Dahl, 2013; Fabello, 2013) note that images on these sites are similar to images on sites that support the concepts of “Thinspo” or “Thinsporation.”
The purpose of this research was to explore if people can distinguish between images intended to promote fitness versus images promoting disordered eating.
Method:
Undergraduate participants (152 males, 146 females) viewed images posted to Pinterest, an online social media website that allows users to share or “pin” images by content area. Images chosen for comparison were examples tagged on Pinterest threads as “Fitsporation” or “Thinsporation.” After reading a definition of “Fitsporation” and “Thinsporation,” participants identified on which type of thread they would expect to find each image.
Analysis/Results:
Mean scores showed that male participants believed “ Fitsporation” images were more likely to be found on a “Fitsportation” website (9 out of the 15 images) and females reported the location correctly for 5 of 15 images. When reviewing “Thinsporation” images, males’ perceived location was accurate for 7 of 15 images. Females scored accurately for 8 of 15 images. Mean scores indicate participants were challenged to distinguish between types of images. T-tests of unequal variance revealed that female participants were more critical of site expectation. Thirteen of the 15 “Fitsporation” and “Thinsporation” images showed a statistically significant response by gender.
Conclusions:
Results revealed that male and female college students had a difficult time distinguishing between images of women used to promote fitness versus images of women meant to promote disordered eating. Findings can contribute to the body of scholarship addressing the impact of media on behavior choices.