Upward comparison predicts an increase in state body dissatisfaction after fitspiration exposure.

Gritt Ladwig, Kristine Schönhals, Julia A Tanck, Hannah L Quittkat, Silja Vocks

Abstract read

In one paragraph

Article in Scientific reports, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.

0numbers the graph read from it

0cells of the map it votes in

1citing papers in PubMed

–field-weighted citation impact

1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

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3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

1 citing paper in PubMed.

[Psychometric Properties of the German Body Image States Scale (BISS)].Psychotherapie, Psychosomatik, medizinische Psychologie · 2026
Article

4 · The record

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PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

5 authors.

Gritt LadwigDepartment of Clinical Psychology and Psychotherapy, Institute of Psychology, Osnabrück University, Lise-Meitner-Str. 3, 49076, Osnabrück, Germany. gritt.ladwig@uni-osnabrueck.de.

Kristine SchönhalsDepartment of Clinical Psychology and Psychotherapy, Institute of Psychology, Osnabrück University, Lise-Meitner-Str. 3, 49076, Osnabrück, Germany.

Julia A TanckDepartment of Clinical Psychology and Psychotherapy, Institute of Psychology, Osnabrück University, Lise-Meitner-Str. 3, 49076, Osnabrück, Germany.

Hannah L QuittkatDepartment of Clinical Psychology and Psychotherapy, Institute of Psychology, Osnabrück University, Lise-Meitner-Str. 3, 49076, Osnabrück, Germany.

Silja VocksDepartment of Clinical Psychology and Psychotherapy, Institute of Psychology, Osnabrück University, Lise-Meitner-Str. 3, 49076, Osnabrück, Germany.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

As exposure to fitspiration images can lead to body dissatisfaction, it is important to understand which factors contribute to this effect. Therefore, this online experiment examined possible predictors of state body dissatisfaction following fitspiration exposure. In total, n = 131 women with and without self-reported eating disorder (ED) symptoms answered questionnaires on upward comparison, ED pathology, and drive for muscularity. Participants were then presented with 30 Instagram posts reflecting the fitspiration trend. Before and after fitspiration exposure, state body dissatisfaction was assessed. Results of a hierarchical regression analysis showed that when controlling for state body dissatisfaction before fitspiration exposure as well as participants' age, upward comparison was the only significant predictor of state body dissatisfaction after fitspiration exposure. ED pathology and drive for muscularity did not predict an increase in state body dissatisfaction. Therefore, prevention programs that aim to mitigate harmful effects of fitspiration should focus on reducing upward comparison in women.

Indexed as

Body DissatisfactionBody ImageFeeding and Eating DisordersAdolescentAdultFemaleHumansMiddle AgedSelf ReportSurveys and QuestionnairesYoung AdultBody dissatisfactionEating disordersFitspirationSocial mediaUpward comparison

Identifiers

PMID41326528

DOI10.1038/s41598-025-29830-5

PMCPMC12673077

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LicenceCC BY

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.