Scrolling through TikTok, you’ve likely seen them: fitness influencers flexing muscles, sharing workout tips, or preparing meals. But behind these seemingly inspirational videos, a new study suggests something more troubling. Some of these fitspiration videos could be harming the very people they aim to inspire.
The Dark Side of Fitspiration
Researchers at Flinders University examined 200 popular TikTok videos from hashtags like #fitness and #fittok. Their findings paint a concerning picture of how the app’s fitness culture promotes unrealistic body standards and spreads questionable health advice.
The study, led by Samantha Pryde, revealed clear gender differences in the portrayal of body ideals. Nearly 80% of the analyzed videos featured women, and these women were overwhelmingly depicted as thin, with toned bodies. This imagery mirrors the so-called “fit ideal,” a look that’s just as difficult for most women to attain as the traditional “thin ideal.”
In contrast, videos featuring men tended to promote a very muscular, bulked-up physique. The problem here is that many of these male influencers often used performance-enhancing drugs like anabolic steroids with no disclosure. Of course, this creates the misleading impression that viewers can obtain similar results naturally.
Over half of the videos sexualized women’s bodies, with common depictions focusing on specific body parts such as thighs and buttocks, found the study, aptly titled “You started working out to get a flat stomach and a fat a$$”: A content analysis of fitspiration videos on TikTok”. Body shaming was prevalent in 20 percent of the videos, while 8.6 percent even promoted eating disorders.
The Mental Threat of “Fittok”
“Our study highlights concern about the triggering and misleading information portrayed by unqualified influencers,” Pryde explained. “TikTok fitspiration videos often promote an idealized view of body types and there is concern that this is causing negative body image issues especially in young women.”
Professor Eva Kemps, a co-author of the study, noted that while women’s videos often objectified specific body parts, male videos tended to obscure faces, a trend not seen on other platforms like Instagram.
“This evolving objectification raises concerns about the impact of fitspiration on male body image as well, with increasing evidence suggesting that male viewers are similarly affected by idealized imagery,” said Kemps.
The study also highlighted differences in how men and women present fitness in their videos. Women’s videos were more likely to feature an individual (the female influencer), often with a focus on personal enjoyment or well-being. In contrast, men’s videos often featured groups, reflecting a more social or competitive approach to fitness.
For young viewers — especially teenage girls — this is more than just social media noise. Exposure to such idealized bodies can fuel harmful comparisons, leading to body dissatisfaction and unhealthy behaviors, researchers said. The authors suggest that many of these videos encourage exercise primarily for appearance, not health. So, they often overlook the importance of fitness for mental and physical well-being.
Unqualified and Misleading
If that weren’t concerning enough, the study found that more than 60% of the fitspiration videos spread incorrect or harmful information. This ranged from dubious diet tips to exercise regimens that could lead to injury if followed incorrectly. Much of this misleading content came from fitness influencers with little to no formal training in health or exercise science.
One example of harmful fitness advice identified in the study involved a video promoting the use of apple cider vinegar, lime, and water as a method to “maintain a small waist” and “remove toxins.” The study labeled this type of advice as harmful because it promotes unsound health practices without scientific backing. Consuming apple cider vinegar has not been proven to reduce waist size, and the idea of “removing toxins” is a common but debunked claim often used to market diet products.
Another video featured a fitness influencer giving advice on how to lose all body fat through a combination of gut health improvement, cardio, and weight lifting. While exercise and proper diet are great for maintaining a healthy weight, the notion of “losing all body fat” is not only impossible but also dangerous if followed through. Having some body fat is essential for overall health, and promoting extreme fat loss can encourage harmful behaviors like over-exercising or disordered eating.
The problem isn’t just bad advice; it’s the authority that these influencers hold. With millions of followers, they have the power to shape perceptions about health and fitness, often distorting what it means to be “fit” or “healthy.”
Shifting the Focus to Health
The study’s authors call for greater scrutiny of these videos and a push toward promoting realistic, health-oriented content on social media. They argue that platforms like TikTok should do more to ensure that fitness content is accurate and encourages healthy behaviors, not just idealized body shapes.
Whether it’s teenage girls chasing unattainable body goals or young men striving for unnatural muscularity, the message from these videos could be doing more harm than good.
“Our study illustrates the need for more research and enhanced regulation regarding advertising by influencers on social media,” says Associate Professor Ivanka Prichard, an expert in body image and exercise.
“We need more collaboration with public health organisations, so that fitness influencers are encouraged to share evidence-based information that promotes healthy, realistic expectations for body image and fitness.
“In a world increasingly influenced by digital media, monitoring the impact of fitspiration content remains crucial in promoting and protecting healthier body image narratives, and fostering supportive fitness cultures,” adds Prichard.
