Comparing physical appearance to images of Instagram models with “slim-thick” (large butt and thighs and small waist and flat stomach) bodies negatively affect young women’s body image. (McComb et al., 2022)

Being thin, with a flat stomach and small waist (thin ideal) has been the benchmark for ideal female beauty in mainstream media until recent years. But recently, “fit ideal” (being thin but with greater muscularity than the thin ideal) and the “slim-thick ideal”(being thin, with a small waist and flat stomach but with a larger butt and thighs than the thin ideal) have gained more popularity in mainstream media and social media.

This study examined the impact of forced social comparison to slim-thick-, thin-, and fit-ideal imagery on women’s body image relative to a control condition and whether physical appearance perfectionism moderated these findings.

The authors collected data from 402 young female undergraduate psychology students (ages 18–25) who viewed 13 Instagram images. The images used in the study were derived from public Instagram accounts of young women who had less than 60,000 followers (so that the models would likely be unknown to the participants). “Likes” and comments were not visible to the participants.


                                                                    

Overall, all three body ideal types (thin, fit, slim thick) provoked appearance dissatisfaction and less body satisfaction.

The researchers found that the slim-thick ideal had a negative effect on the participants’ body image. It was also associated with more dissatisfaction and lower body satisfaction than “thin ideal” condition.

Reference:

McComb SE, Mills JS. The effect of physical appearance perfectionism and social comparison to thin-, slim-thick-, and fit-ideal Instagram imagery on young women’s body image. Body Image. 2022 Mar;40:165-175. doi: 10.1016/j.bodyim.2021.12.003. Epub 2021 Dec 27. PMID: 34968854.