Unhealthy aesthetic comparisons: how fit influencers sculpt Spanish adolescents’ body image satisfaction

Abstract

This study explores how the importance Spanish adolescents place on aesthetics in their personal image affects their body satisfaction and how this relationship is influenced by comparisons with fit influencers. A total of 1082 adolescents aged 12–17 completed a survey measuring the emphasis on aesthetics, the frequency of comparisons with fit influencers, and their satisfaction with physical appearance. We performed a mediation analysis using the PROCESS macro to assess the relationships among these variables, controlling for gender and age. The results indicate that, while placing a high value on aesthetics is positively associated with body satisfaction, this effect is partially mediated by comparisons with fit influencers, which negatively impacts appearance satisfaction. Thus, the relationship is more complex than initially suggested, showing both positive and negative effects, depending on the role of social comparison. Notably, adolescent girls and older adolescents were more likely to engage in comparisons with fit influencers, shaping their ideal body image and fostering dissatisfaction. Thus, this research highlights the necessity of developing media literacy interventions aimed at reducing the harmful influence of social comparison on social media to promote better body satisfaction, particularly among Spanish adolescents.