Academic Bibliography

 Search 200 years of publications by Ghent University researchers.
Advanced search
1 file | 1.33 MB
Add to list
  1. Search results
  2. Turning likes into lifts : understand...

Turning likes into lifts : understanding how adolescents experience fitfluencer content and the opportunities it offers them

Marloes de Brabandere (UGent) , Ini Vanwesenbeeck and Liselot Hudders (UGent)
(2025) INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF QUALITATIVE STUDIES ON HEALTH AND WELL-BEING. 20(1).
Author
Organization
Project
Abstract
Current research on fitfluencers and fitspiration content is mostly quantitative and emphasizes its negative impact, overlooking its opportunities. Adolescents, who are undergoing an important and delicate developmental period, are largely understudied in research on fitfluencers and fitspiration. Combined with more than 80% of the world's adolescents not being sufficiently physically active, more research is needed on how fitfluencers may positively impact adolescents' mental and physical health. Through 20 semi-structured in-depth interviews with adolescents (aged 14-18), this study explores their lived experiences with fitfluencers and the role these play in their mental and physical health, and which opportunities fitfluencers offer to positively impact adolescents. Adolescents reported minimal negative consequences of fitfluencers and experience more motivation than demotivation. Four main opportunities-information, authenticity, actionable content, and entertainment-incited motivation to exercise and make fitfluencers' appearance and lifestyle more attainable and relatable. These results can guide future research on how fitfluencers can positively affect adolescents.
Keywords
Fitfluencer, adolescents, mental health, exercise, opportunities, SELF-EFFICACY, BODY-IMAGE, DEPRESSION, EXERCISE, NUMBER

Downloads

  • Download
    Publisher version.pdf
    • full text (Published version)
    • |
    • open access
    • |
    • PDF
    • |
    • 1.33 MB

Citation

Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:

MLA
de Brabandere, Marloes, et al. “Turning Likes into Lifts : Understanding How Adolescents Experience Fitfluencer Content and the Opportunities It Offers Them.” INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF QUALITATIVE STUDIES ON HEALTH AND WELL-BEING, vol. 20, no. 1, 2025, doi:10.1080/17482631.2025.2467520.
APA
de Brabandere, M., Vanwesenbeeck, I., & Hudders, L. (2025). Turning likes into lifts : understanding how adolescents experience fitfluencer content and the opportunities it offers them. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF QUALITATIVE STUDIES ON HEALTH AND WELL-BEING, 20(1). https://doi.org/10.1080/17482631.2025.2467520
Chicago author-date
Brabandere, Marloes de, Ini Vanwesenbeeck, and Liselot Hudders. 2025. “Turning Likes into Lifts : Understanding How Adolescents Experience Fitfluencer Content and the Opportunities It Offers Them.” INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF QUALITATIVE STUDIES ON HEALTH AND WELL-BEING 20 (1). https://doi.org/10.1080/17482631.2025.2467520.
Chicago author-date (all authors)
de Brabandere, Marloes, Ini Vanwesenbeeck, and Liselot Hudders. 2025. “Turning Likes into Lifts : Understanding How Adolescents Experience Fitfluencer Content and the Opportunities It Offers Them.” INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF QUALITATIVE STUDIES ON HEALTH AND WELL-BEING 20 (1). doi:10.1080/17482631.2025.2467520.
Vancouver
1.
de Brabandere M, Vanwesenbeeck I, Hudders L. Turning likes into lifts : understanding how adolescents experience fitfluencer content and the opportunities it offers them. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF QUALITATIVE STUDIES ON HEALTH AND WELL-BEING. 2025;20(1).
IEEE
[1]
M. de Brabandere, I. Vanwesenbeeck, and L. Hudders, “Turning likes into lifts : understanding how adolescents experience fitfluencer content and the opportunities it offers them,” INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF QUALITATIVE STUDIES ON HEALTH AND WELL-BEING, vol. 20, no. 1, 2025.
@article{01JNE5EXHRDH5SFNNX3G6QXXHM,
  abstract     = {{Current research on fitfluencers and fitspiration content is mostly quantitative and emphasizes its negative impact, overlooking its opportunities. Adolescents, who are undergoing an important and delicate developmental period, are largely understudied in research on fitfluencers and fitspiration. Combined with more than 80% of the world's adolescents not being sufficiently physically active, more research is needed on how fitfluencers may positively impact adolescents' mental and physical health. Through 20 semi-structured in-depth interviews with adolescents (aged 14-18), this study explores their lived experiences with fitfluencers and the role these play in their mental and physical health, and which opportunities fitfluencers offer to positively impact adolescents. Adolescents reported minimal negative consequences of fitfluencers and experience more motivation than demotivation. Four main opportunities-information, authenticity, actionable content, and entertainment-incited motivation to exercise and make fitfluencers' appearance and lifestyle more attainable and relatable. These results can guide future research on how fitfluencers can positively affect adolescents.}},
  articleno    = {{2467520}},
  author       = {{de Brabandere, Marloes and Vanwesenbeeck, Ini and Hudders, Liselot}},
  issn         = {{1748-2623}},
  journal      = {{INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF QUALITATIVE STUDIES ON HEALTH AND WELL-BEING}},
  keywords     = {{Fitfluencer,adolescents,mental health,exercise,opportunities,SELF-EFFICACY,BODY-IMAGE,DEPRESSION,EXERCISE,NUMBER}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  number       = {{1}},
  pages        = {{18}},
  title        = {{Turning likes into lifts : understanding how adolescents experience fitfluencer content and the opportunities it offers them}},
  url          = {{http://doi.org/10.1080/17482631.2025.2467520}},
  volume       = {{20}},
  year         = {{2025}},
}
Altmetric
View in Altmetric
Web of Science
Times cited: