Influencer Followers

A recent study that surveyed young adults, ages 18-25, from the UK, US, and New Zealand about their diet and exercise habits, mental health, and social media usage found that folks who follow fitness influencers on social networks tend to exercise more and eat better, but also tend to report more indicators of stress and anxiety.

This study controlled for variables like age, gender, socioeconomic status, and other things that might nudge the needle one way or the other, latently, and participants who followed influencers focused on food and dietary content were especially prone to negative psychological outcomes.

What’s more, while healthy eating and exercise is usually positively correlated with better feelings of self-worth, healthiness, reduced stress levels, and so on, those who followed such influencers seemed to experience the opposite, these healthful activities generating more stress and anxiety, not less.