How Health and Weight Management Social Media Messages Targeting African American Women Impact Health Behaviors

There has been an obesity crisis in the U.S. for the last 30 years. New and innovative strategies to address obesity must be used to reverse this trend, especially for younger generations who have grown up in a technology driven society, unlike their older counterparts. Information regarding health and healthy practices is much more available to this group. In addition, the use of social media has become a daily task for Generation Z, so it is vital that healthcare professionals understand how social media use impacts the health behaviors of Generation Z, especially as it pertains to obesity, which can lead to chronic illnesses, such as heart disease and type 2 diabetes. The proposed study seeks to 1) understand the impact imagery-based social media use has on the diet and exercise habits of Generation Z Americans. Using a mixed methods research design to collect qualitative data and design a quantitative psychometric measure; 2) determine the eating and fitness habits of Generation Z using a convergent mixed methods research design to triangulate participants’ qualitative responses and quantitative responses on existing health behavior measures to ensure that the quantitative measures effectively measure the health behaviors of the sample population; 3) determine the impact that Instagram “fitspiration”, “thinspiration”, and body positivity/#healthatanysize messages have on current and planned eating and fitness activities using a correlational study (to determine the relationship between variables) and an experimental study (to determine causality between the independent variable and dependent variable) and 4) engage psychology undergraduates and graduates in extensive mixed methods research training that will include qualitative and quantitative data collection, coding, analysis, and interpretation, psychometric measure design, as well as research findings dissemination. Considering the power of social media’s influence, it is likely an avenue to increasing positive health habits to prolong the lives of Generation Z and younger generations. Understanding how social media impacts the health and fitness habits of younger generations can lead to preventions that lower the incidence of obesity.