A diary study investigating the differential impacts of Instagram content on youths’ body image

Through social media like Instagram, users are constantly exposed to “perfect” lives and thin‑ideal bodies. Prior work has largely examined time spent on Instagram and related effects on body image, often finding negative outcomes, but has rarely focused on the content itself. This qualitative diary study aimed to uncover which Instagram content types trigger youths’ body image and how. Twenty‑eight young people (Mean age = 21.86; 79% female) reported 140 Instagram posts across five days, describing trigger points, motivations, emotions, and perceived impacts on body image. Four content categories emerged: Thin Ideal, Body Positivity, Fitness, and Lifestyle. These categories elicited distinct emotional responses and social comparisons, with noticeable gender differences. The study increased participants’ awareness of Instagram’s influence on mood and body perception. Findings suggest a nuanced discussion of social media effects that accounts for content type and user characteristics, and indicate that interventions should emphasize conscious, reflective use rather than only limiting use.

Hannah C. Glaser, Sikke R. Jansma, Hanneke Scholten