Topic: Body positivity

Not all body-positive messages are created equal.

In fact, some might do more harm than good, according to a recent study published in Body Image.

The researchers found that body-positive messages that feel pushy (“You have to accept your body or you’ll never be happy”) tend to have a similar effect to messages that pressure people to be thin (“You need the perfect body to be beautiful”).

That is, they tend to make people feel not-so-great about themselves—and like they should be thinner than they are.

On the other hand, there were two types of body-positive messages that had the intended effects. They emphasized autonomy and acceptance from others.

For example:

● Autonomy: “You’re the author of your own happiness. It’s up to you to be you.”

● Acceptance from others: “There are lots of people out there who appreciate you just the way you are. See yourself through their eyes.”

In the study, these two types of messages:

● helped improve body image

● evoked feelings of body acceptance and empowerment

● increased self-esteem

The bottom line: If body-positive messages make you feel worse, you’re not alone.

One strategy that could help: Do a social media audit, culling anyone who delivers “tough love” about body positivity from their feed.

And if you can’t avoid them? Even just gaining this awareness could be enough for you to reframe these messages in your head—or disregard them altogether.

PMID: 35305477

Legault L, Sago A. When body positivity falls flat: Divergent effects of body acceptance messages that support vs. undermine basic psychological needs. Body Image. 2022 Jun;41:225–38.