Body perception and frequency of exposure to advertising on social networks among adolescents

Abstract

The marketing actions of influencers promoting unhealthy targeted products can aggravate the problem of childhood obesity and thus generate self-esteem problems. The influence of exposure to this type of sponsored content can also have an effect on the emotional well-being of adolescents. This is the context of this study, which seeks to analyze the relationship between exposure to food or body care advertising on social networks (YouTube, Instagram, and TikTok) of adolescents and their perception of their physical appearance. Online surveys were distributed between April and June 2022 to 1,055 adolescents aged 11-17 years and residing in Spain. The main results show that 16- and 17-year-olds have a heavier figure as an ideal reference, but they are also the group that presents the thinnest evaluation of their current figure. Their level of satisfaction is the lowest compared with the rest of the age groups, and they attach greater importance to the social role of a good physical appearance. Thus, exposure to advertising by influencers on social networks is directly related to lower satisfaction with their bodies. This assessment is based not so much on individual reasons related to health or personal well-being, but rather on fundamentally social reasons, and considers that physical appearance is a determining factor for social success. Therefore, it is advisable to study in more detail the beliefs that directly affect adolescents’ self-esteem to improve their critical competence in the face of this idealized content.