# Thinspiration, Bonespiration, and Social Media Concerns



## David Baxter PhD (Feb 4, 2018)

*Thinspiration, Bonespiration, and Social Media Concerns*
by Libby Lyons, LCSW, CEDS, _EatingDisorderHope.com_
February 1, 2018

“Thinspiration” is a phrase that has caught on within social media  like wildfire and has started a world of pro-ana and pro-mia websites  that promote and support eating disorder behaviors.

 Images that typically come with the phrase ‘thinspiration’ are  underweight men and women, or words such as ‘starving’ or ‘perfection’  and tips on how to engage and maintain eating disorder behaviors.

 After an outcry from many eating disorder professionals and leaders,  social media sites such as Instagram and Tumblr implemented new  guidelines that prohibit content that promotes or glorifies self-harm  either through eating disorder behaviors or other methods.

 Advisory notifications will pop-up when someone clicks on such photos  or information. The pop-up will direct them to resources to get help.*1*

 Pro-mia and pro-ana sites have been available for years within the  social media world. It is immediately accessible to anyone with a  computer or smartphone. According to the National Association of Eating  Disorders (NEDA) over 20 million women and 10 million men struggle with  an eating disorder within the US.*1*

*#TheHype*
 It can be almost natural for teens to turn to the Internet to look for information for help on just about anything.

 Many youth searches on the Internet are for diets, specific body  types, and exercise routines. If you type the word ‘diet’ into a search  engine, 231,000,000 sites pop up.

 Websites such as thinspiration, bonespiration, and fitspiration are  available that push the idea of being underweight and working towards an  extremely thin body type.

 Thinspiration  is a term that refers to social media which encourages a person to be  thin. Images of these sites show women who are underweight, typically  objectified and often wearing little clothing.

 Bonespiration is similar to Thinspiration but shows images of individuals whose bones are protruding.

 Fitspiration is considered the least disturbing as it shows images  and websites for gaining increased fitness and body sculpting.

 Typically bonespiration and thinspiration tend to show more images  with thin, objectified bodies, and fitspiration has images that show  people as more muscular.*2*

 These images could give the user the perception that fitspiration is  more ‘healthy’ in its image content than the others as it does not show  as many underweight individuals. These sites can still be dangerous as  it can fall into disordered eating and eating disorder content.

*#Unrealistic*
 Exposure to these types of websites can result in youth holding  unattainable and unrealistic ideas of beauty. Past research has shown  that exposure to thin-ideal images decreases body satisfaction, and  unhealthy weight control practices.*2*

 Social media is separate from conventional media as it allows for the  user to interact with it. It provides a personal outlet, a feeling of  connection and presence with others, and a community which offers a  “relationship” with peers.

 Users on social media are both sources and receivers of information  who can shape their interaction and enhance autonomy, self-efficacy, and  personal agency.

 Thinspiration tends to be all around us. Its role is for people to try to attain a body image which is often unachievable.

 It can be images of bodies, quotes for weight loss, and techniques on  best weight-loss exercises. These sites have spurred on the pro-ana and  pro-mia websites that identify eating disorders as a lifestyle choice  rather than a mental health illness.

*#MediaUse*
 Teenagers spend up to 9 hours per day on social media.*3* That is an  alarming amount of time that there is potential exposure to  thinspiration sites.

 According to the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine study,  frequent daily log-ins onto social media feeds was linked to a higher  risk of young adults developing disordered eating patterns and body  concerns.*4*

 The study showed that neither age or race was an influence on the  findings, and all demographic groups were equally affected. The  researchers suggested that prevention efforts need to be targeting large  populations.

 A study that looked at 101 teenagers and their use of social media  and selfies and examined their evaluation of weight and shape.*5*

 The researchers found that there were significantly higher levels of  critical overvaluation of shape and weight, body dissatisfaction,  dietary restraint, and internalization of the thin ideals.

 These teens that were assessed tended to share selfies on social  media regularly. The researchers concluded that the use of selfies on  social media could contribute to body dissatisfaction and disordered  eating.

*#End*
 Social media can be an incredible platform for connecting with  friends, to see events going on in your community, or a form of  entertainment. For many youths, exposures to unhealthy body images are  unavoidable.

 It comes in various forms, such as images on the internet, television, billboards on the road. These images can change the way children see and perceive their bodies.

 Working with your child on knowing how healthy weight and size are essential. Work on creating and cooking new meals together.

 Get involved in activities that everyone enjoys and gets you moving.  Helping your child to get off their phone or tablet and involved in  their community is a wonderful way to avoid the pitfalls of social  media.

*References*


Shalby, C. (2014, March 01). Fighting social media  ‘thinspiration’ with messages of self-acceptance. Retrieved December 13,  2017, from  Fighting social media  with messages of self-acceptance | PBS NewsHour
Talbot, C. V., Gavin, J., Steen, T. V., & Morey, Y. (2017,  September 26). A content analysis of thinspiration, fitspiration, and  bonespiration imagery on social media. Retrieved December 13, 2017, from  A content analysis of thinspiration, fitspiration, and bonespiration imagery on social media | Journal of Eating Disorders | Full Text
Tsukayama, H. (2015, November 03). Teens spend nearly nine hours  every day consuming media. Retrieved January 10, 2018, from  Teens spend nearly nine hours every day consuming media - The Washington Post
?Greater Social Media Use Tied to Higher Risk of Eating and Body  Image Concerns in Young Adults. (n.d.). Retrieved January 10, 2018, from   Social Media Use Tied to Eating and Body Image Concerns 
McLean, S. A., Paxton, S. J., Wertheim, E. H., & Masters, J.  (2015, November 23). Selfies and social media: relationships between  self-image editing and photo-investment and body dissatisfaction and  dietary restraint. Retrieved January 10, 2018, from  Selfies and social media: relationships between self-image editing and photo-investment and body dissatisfaction and dietary restraint | Journal of Eating Disorders | Full Text


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