SYDNEY: Australian teenage girls are rejecting unrealistic and unhealthy body standards on social media in favor of more positive and authentic online content, according to a new research report.
A survey by Deakin University into the online viewing habits of 336 girls aged from 15 to 17 showed they sought information from reliable sources rather than look at “touched-up images” or read unsubstantiated claims.
Project lead Kate Parker of Deakin University Institute for Physical Activity and Nutrition said the findings, published in the journal BMC Public Health, were a “wake up call” for online content creators.
In a Deakin University press release on Tuesday, Parker said teenage girls were “sick of being body-shamed and wanted online health and fitness apps with age-appropriate content that suited their fitness level and appealed to their interests.”
They also want motivational articles instead of calorie counters, strict fitness regimes or “photo-shopped images of super fit or very thin young women.” The researchers also said the girls wanted online spaces where they could connect with others of their age who shared similar health interests.
Associate Professor Kim Toffoletti from the university’s Centre for Sport Research, who assisted with the study, said the teens used a combination of apps to meet their health and fitness goals.
“Girls today take a more holistic approach to their health and wellness, and no two girls use exactly the same apps,” Toffoletti said. “Some apps are used to manage meal plans and sleep patterns, while others are used to access workouts or promote better mental health.”
The research team hopes content creators, influencers and social media platforms will note the findings in order to better help teen girls’ health and wellness needs.