On social networks, videos of sports coaches and fitness influencers are flooding news feeds on TikTok and Instagram, promoting a muscly and toned physique. The famous "beauty" filters, which have already caused a stir, are once again the focus of controversy. But this time, it's about their effect on young men.
Using filters on social networks such as TikTok, Instagram and even Snapchat could exacerbate muscle dysmorphia in young, growing adolescents, according to research conducted by the University of Toronto on 912 Canadian teenagers and young adults. According to the study, boys were more affected by this phenomenon than girls, who experienced other forms of dysmorphia linked to social media photo filters. Read more: Six-pack abs, nice skin, full head of hair? How men fret about their looks too "Muscle dysmorphia symptomatology is more common among boys and men, including over 25 % of boys and young men in a Canadian community sample displaying clinically relevant symptoms," the study reads.
Professionals consider muscular dysmorphia to be a mental disorder. Affected individuals are excessively preoccupied with their appearance, dwelling on their muscular build, which they either wish to be "perfect" or deem inadequate. These unattainable expectations can be fueled by unrealistic manipulated photos on social platforms.
The effects of photo manipulation The researchers who worked on this study point to edited and touched-up images and other content on social networks as c.
