Body image and social media: The Trending Body

Tiny waist, lean muscles, well-defined abs. If you spend time on social media, you likely recognize these terms. Communities like #fitspo teach people how to gain these traits associated with the ideal body type through gymming or cutting calories. There is a ‘trending body’ for both men and women online that individuals may attempt to emulate. In this article, I will go into detail on ‘trending bodies’ and how we can navigate social media and body-image trends.

The ideal body types on social media exist in cycles. The lifecycle of a Trending Body follows this path: emergence, mainstreaming, peak, fatigue, discard and retrospective phases (Uti & Marcella-Hood, 2025). Fitspiration reached the peak in 2020, but it was not only about health (Cataldo et al., 2021). It encouraged exercise addiction, body dissatisfaction, or excessive control over eating habits. Furthermore, trends risk being ‘discarded’, like skinny bodies in ‘thinspiration’. Thus, because the pursuit of temporary trends often leads to unhealthy habits, think carefully before adopting them, even if it seems difficult.

No one is immune to the influence of social media. Yes, even you! So, how do we avoid being influenced? Here are some simple tips:

1. Remember that trends do not last forever, so think twice before getting that plastic surgery done.

2. Be informed of signs of unhealthy behavior, like disordered eating. More information can be found here.

3. Remember to stay grounded in the moment through hobbies, or friends; (4) Refrain from taking diet or exercise advice from social media influencers. Always seek out reliable sources.

In conclusion, individuals should never let social media trends dictate their vision of a ‘correct’ or ‘ideal’ body. To make judgments of one’s own body through something as fickle as the opinion of social media users will only result in anxiety. If you or someone you know is struggling with body image issues, do seek professional help.

Writer: Ellery

Published: 27/04/2026

References

Cataldo, I., De Luca, I., Giorgetti, V., Cicconcelli, D., Bersani, F. S., Imperatori, C., Abdi, S., Negri, A., Esposito, G., & Corazza, O. (2021). Fitspiration on social media: Body-image and other psychopathological risks among young adults. A narrative review. Emerging Trends in Drugs Addictions and Health, 1, 100010. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.etdah.2021.100010

Uti, T., & Marcella-Hood, M. (2025). The lifecycle of a social media beauty trend: a case study of the Instagram body. Cogent Arts and Humanities, 12(1). https://doi.org/10.1080/23311983.2025.2472544