Objectifying fitness: A content and thematic analysis of #Fitspiration images on social media.

Research suggests that exposure to #fitspiration content can result in increased body dissatisfaction. Employing a data-driven approach, the present study examines the nature of images and text contained within #fitspiration posts on social media. First, a content analysis of images labelled as #fitspiration on popular site Instagram (N = 1,000) was performed. People featured in 52% of images, of which nearly 90% of individuals were coded as having low body fat and 55% were coded as muscular. Individuals were typically presented in sexually objectified ways, which varied as a function of gender. Second, a thematic analysis of text from the same set of images (N = 400) was conducted to identify common themes and underlying meaning embedded within the messages. Six themes were developed: (1) Fit is sexy, (2) A fit physique requires commitment and self-regulation, (3) Your choices define you, (4) Pleasure and perseverance through pain, (5) Battle of the selves: You vs. You, and (6) Here’s to us! A celebration of a community. In combination, the analyses demonstrate how text and images found in #fitspiration posts perpetuate pervading sociocultural appearance ideals for men and women, positioning exercise as means to achieving these ideals. Furthermore, #fitspiration sexually objectifies the fit body, with text and images encouraging self-objectification and the distancing of the self from internal bodily functions in physical activity settings. Future research should focus on how #fitspiration content influences individuals in relation to how they think and feel about their body and physical activity

“A mental health game-changer” Embodied experiences of psychosocial, body image and wellbeing outcomes from strength and resistance training during perimenopause.

Background: Resistance exercise facilitates healthy aging in women and engaging in resistance training can substantially improve physiological health outcomes in midlife. However, the psychosocial outcomes of strength training are often overlooked in the research and there is a significant gender gap addressing the optimal exercises for women to consider through perimenopause and beyond. Furthermore, research has not accounted for women's perceptions and experiences of strength training during perimenopause. Aims: Given the pervasive messages that exist in fitness culture around exercise and appearance, the aim was to understand embodied experiences of strength and/or resistance training during the perimenopausal transition, in the context of body functionality and vasomotor symptoms. Furthermore, to discuss the societal stigma that exists around muscularity in women. Methods: An online, qualitative survey was distributed via University webpages and social media. Participants selfidentified as individuals experiencing menopausal symptoms (inclusive of non-binary or trans) who engaged in regular strength training. Participants’ ages ranged from 35 to 60 years (n = 58, M = 48.03) with 98.3% identifying as a (cis-) woman, 82.8% as White British, and 46.6% strength training for three years or more. Reflexive thematic analysis was employed to interpret patterns of shared understandings. Results: Three themes were developed: 1) Empowerment in “feeling strong” and building muscle, 2) “A mental health game-changer”, and 3) Invisibility of the perimenopausal body. Strength training was understood as beneficial for improved mobility, yet many reported more subtle changes (e.g., improved mood) through the transition and welcomed a sense of focus and control. Evidence-based awareness of strength training in midlife was perceived to be lacking within medical guidance and fitness environments. Conclusion: Findings offer nuanced insight into perimenopausal experiences that emphasise enhanced body image and wellbeing outcomes of strength training; useful for clinical practice and those working with clients in physical activity spaces

BODY IMAGE, HEALTH, AND PHYSICAL ACTIVITY IN PREGNANT WOMEN: A COMPOSITE ANALYSIS.

Women’s appearances are often judged by stringent, societal expectations, notably that of the thin-ideal. Pregnancy presents a definitive, yet naturally-occurring deviation from this norm. Research findings on how pregnant women cope with bodily changes however, are equivocal. Some feel protected from appearance-related concerns, whilst others experience increased body dissatisfaction. The aim of the present research was to build a composite understanding of factors that have an influence on body image attitudes and coping strategies in nulliparous women. Underpinned by a new realist and pragmatic approach, the research comprised of qualitative and quantitative components. The first aim was to explore messages about the pregnant body, and the role of exercise in UK magazines and online news sites. A qualitative, thematic examination of articles revealed a stark “invisibility” of the pregnant body in fashion magazines and a disparity in exercise messages and bodily portrayals among news and magazine publications. Overwhelmingly, beauty equated with the thin-ideal, not the pregnant body in news sites and fashion magazines. Study 1’s findings and existing pregnancy research guided Study 2; an exploration of women’s thoughts about their pregnant bodies, the role of exercise, and media-related, bodily descriptions. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with nine pregnant women. Thematic analysis revealed that although women accepted their pregnant bodies, they experienced unwelcomed appearance-related comments, comparisons, and physical contact by others. Their pregnant bodies were perceived as being persistently scrutinised. Finally, a quantitative exploration of appearance-related experiences was conducted, using an online questionnaire administered to 181 pregnant women. Guided by Cash’s (2011a) theoretical model, a multitude of complex factors were examined using path analysis. The model revealed that body appreciation / acceptance, body shame and surveillance, fitness / health attitudes, and appearance evaluation / investment were influenced by historical (e.g., self-esteem, public self-consciousness) and proximal factors (e.g., social comparison). Exercise participation, clothing for concealment, and avoidance / fixing behaviours were associated with shame and surveillance, appearance comparisons, and physical discomforts in pregnancy. The present research indicates that women experience complex appearance- and fitness-related issues in pregnancy. The research concludes by highlighting the importance of nurturing self-esteem in pregnancy to increase body confidence and protect against negative coping strategies through the transition towards motherhood

“A mental health game-changer” Embodied experiences of psychosocial, body image and wellbeing outcomes from strength and resistance training during perimenopause.

Objectives: Resistance exercise facilitates healthy aging in women but is ostensibly promoted to improve physiological health in later life and reduce weight gain. However, the psychosocial outcomes of resistance training in midlife are often overlooked. Given the pervasive messages that exist in fitness culture around exercise and appearance, this study explores experiences of strength training in perimenopause that embody wellbeing, functionality, vasomotor symptoms, and sociocultural ideals of ageing. Design: An online, qualitative survey was distributed via University webpages and social media, informed by relevant health, physical activity, and body image literature. Participants self-identified as individuals experiencing menopausal symptoms (inclusive of non-binary or trans) and confirmed engagement in regular strength training. Method: Participants’ ages ranged from 35 to 60 years (n = 58, M = 48.03, SD = 5.61) with 98.3% identifying as a (cis-)woman, 82.8% as White British, and 46.6% strength training for three years or more. Reflexive thematic analysis was employed to interpret patterns of shared meaning. Results: Three themes were developed: 1) Empowerment in “feeling strong” and building muscle, 2) “A mental health game-changer”, and 3) Invisibility of the perimenopausal body. Strength training was understood as beneficial for improved mobility, yet many reported more subtle changes (e.g., improved mood) through the transition and welcomed a sense of focus and control. Evidence-based awareness of strength training in midlife was perceived to be lacking within medical guidance and physical activity spaces. Findings therefore offer nuanced insight into perimenopausal experiences that emphasise enhanced body image and wellbeing outcomes of strength training

The extent and specificity of relative age effects on mental health and functioning in early adolescence

BACKGROUND: Although extensive evidence indicates that being younger within a school cohort is associated with poorer academic functioning, much less is known about such relative-age effects (RAEs) for mental health. METHODS: Data from 23,378 11-13 year olds attending state-maintained secondary schools in England were analysed to investigate RAEs on mental health measured using the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire. Participants were grouped into oldest, middle and youngest thirds of their academic year based on their month of birth relative to their cohort. Hierarchical linear regression analysis evaluated RAEs and gender- or deprivation-related moderation of such effects. RESULTS: Relatively younger adolescents had significantly more emotional symptoms and peer problems compared to relatively older individuals in a year group, though effect sizes were small. These effects were not moderated by gender or deprivation. Impact of mental health difficulties on other aspects of functioning were also greater among relatively younger children. Larger RAEs are observed in the younger cohort (11-12 years) compared to in the 12-13 year olds, thereby indicating that RAEs might attenuate with age. CONCLUSION: Being relatively younger than classmates is associated with increased internalising symptoms, poorer peer relationships, and higher impact of mental health difficulties on functioning at school and home. The findings support wider inclusion of relative age in understanding mental health difficulties and its inclusion as a potential risk factor in studies investigating the development of psychopathology, especially for internalising symptoms. Possible mechanisms of the effects detected are discussed

Three-day changes in resting metabolism after a professional young rugby league match

Professional collision-sport athletes report uniquely large energy expenditures across the season (1-4), as determined by gold standard assessment of resting metabolic rate (RMR (5)) and total energy expenditure (TEE (6)). Such expenditures are possibly a consequence of strenuous match demands, which repeatedly expose players to substantial exercise-and collision-induced muscle damage (7). Recovery from such large perturbations of homeostasis (8) are likely to be energetically expensive (9), in part determining the distinct in-season energetic demands of professional collision-sport athletes. Aim. Accurately determining the effect of match play on resting metabolism is essential to optimise acute manipulation of energy balance, player recovery and long-term athlete development. Therefore, for the first time this case report investigated the metabolic cost of a professional young rugby league match

Men’s Baldness Stigma and Body Dissatisfaction

Introduction: Head hair forms a central component of the sociocultural male appearance ideal (e.g., mesomorphic, tall, young and not bald) and carries masculine connotations and stigma. Immense pressures to conform to this male appearance ideal gives rise to body dissatisfaction. Previous assessments of body dissatisfaction are too narrow, ignoring dissatisfaction beyond mesomorphy such as baldness dissatisfaction. Our study involved two research questions: (i) Do the facial expressions assigned to images of bald and non-bald men differ? and (ii) What forms of body dissatisfaction, including baldness dissatisfaction, do men have and are these related to men’s wellbeing and muscularity behaviours? Method: Eighty-six male participants aged 18–58 years (mean = 23.62; standard deviation = 7.80) were randomly exposed to 10 images of smiling men (half balding and half not) and were asked to rate the facial expression displayed. Participants also rated their body dissatisfaction and wellbeing. Ethics statement: Institutional ethics approval was granted. Results: We found that participants interpreted the facial expressions of images of bald men slightly more negatively than non-bald men. Most participants reported some form of body dissatisfaction correlated with wellbeing and muscularity enhancing behaviours, albeit weakly. Participants also disclosed a range of body dissatisfaction aspects (including surrounding muscularity, body fat, teeth alignment, skin tone and facial hair amount) though generally were not impacted heavily nor highly dissatisfied. Conclusion: These findings underscore the complex challenge in producing a complete assessment of men’s body dissatisfaction and the general resilience men experience with extant appearance pressures around their bodies and head hair

‘When you think of exercising, you don’t really want to think of puking, tears, and pain’: Young adolescents’ understanding of fitness and #fitspiration

Adolescents access information about fitness, including content labelled as #fitspiration, through social media. A total of 77 adolescents (mean age = 12.49; standard deviation = 0.55; girls = 27) participated in semi-structured focus groups to explore their perspectives on #fitspiration and fitness more broadly. Through inductive thematic analysis, four themes were developed: (1) fitness enhances physical function and appearance, but these are not always linked; (2) fitness is transformative but requires hard work; (3) fitness should be an intrinsically motivated personal choice; and (4) pain in the pursuit of fitness. Findings highlight young adolescents’ complex understandings of fitness negotiated through their critical interpretation of #fitspiration

Mouth rinsing with a sweet solution increases energy expenditure and decreases appetite during 60 minutes of self-regulated walking exercise

Carbohydrate mouth rinsing can improve endurance exercise performance and is most ergogenic when exercise is completed in the fasted state. This strategy may also be beneficial to increase exercise capacity and the energy deficit achieved during moderate intensity exercise relevant to weight control when performed after an overnight fast. Eighteen healthy men (mean(SD); age 23(4)years, body mass index 23.1(2.4)kg.m-2 ) completed a familiarisation trial and three experimental trials. After an overnight fast, participants performed 60-minutes of treadmill walking at a speed that equated to a rating of perceived exertion of 13 (“fairly hard”). Participants manually adjusted the treadmill speed to maintain this exertion. Mouth rinses for the experimental trials contained either a 6.4% maltodextrin solution with sweetener (CHO), a taste-matched placebo (PLA) or water (WAT). Appetite ratings were collected using visual analogue scales and exercise energy expenditure and substrate oxidation were calculated from online gas analysis. Increased walking distance during CHO and PLA induced greater energy expenditure compared with WAT (mean difference (90% CI); 79(60)kJ; P=0.035; d=0.24 and 90(63)kJ; P=0.024; d=0.27, respectively). Appetite area under the curve was lower in CHO and PLA than WAT (8(6)mm; P=0.042; d=0.43 and 6(8)mm; P=0.201; d=0.32, respectively). Carbohydrate oxidation was higher in CHO than PLA and WAT (7.3(6.7)g; P=0.078; d=0.47 and 10.1(6.5)g; P=0.015; d=0.81, respectively). This study provides novel evidence that mouth rinsing with a sweetened solution may promote a greater energy deficit during moderate exertion walking exercise by increasing energy expenditure and decreasing appetite. A placebo effect may have contributed to these benefits

A realistic evaluation of situation awareness for everyone (SAFE) on paediatric wards: Study protocol

INTRODUCTION: Evidence suggests that health outcomes for hospitalised children in the UK are worse than other countries in Europe, with an estimated 1500 preventable deaths in hospital each year. It is presumed that some of these deaths are due to unanticipated deterioration, which could have been prevented by earlier intervention, for example, sepsis. The Situation Awareness For Everyone (SAFE) intervention aims to redirect the ‘clinical gaze’ to encompass a range of prospective indicators of risk or deterioration, including clinical indicators and staff concerns, so that professionals can review relevant information for any given situation. Implementing the routine use of huddles is central to increasing situation awareness in SAFE. METHODS AND ANALYSIS: In this article, we describe the realistic evaluation framework within which we are evaluating the SAFE programme. Multiple methods and data sources are used to help provide a comprehensive understanding of what mechanisms for change are triggered by an intervention and how they have an impact on the existing social processes sustaining the behaviour or circumstances that are being targeted for change. ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION: Ethics approval was obtained from London—Dulwich Research Ethics Committee (14/LO/0875). It is anticipated that the findings will enable us to understand what the important elements of SAFE and the huddle are, the processes by which they might be effective and—given the short timeframes of the project—initial effects of the intervention on outcomes. The present research will add to the extant literature by providing the first evidence of implementation of SAFE and huddles in paediatric wards in the UK