Title: The role of Instagram utilization in body image satisfaction and physical activity participation among female African American college students.

Introduction: African-American women have the highest rates of overweight and obesity in America, partly due to physical inactivity. Much of the literature regarding PA and African American women has attributed the low rates of physical activity to a cultural preference toward curvier bodies and relatively high body image satisfaction. While research has shown that both body image satisfaction and PA participation among African American women may be influenced by social networks, there exist no research that examines Instagram as a social media network, and its ability to act as a subjective normative group in influencing intent to participate PA and body image satisfaction among this population.

Purpose of the study: This exploratory study will investigate the influence Instagram usage and exposure may have on body image satisfaction and physical activity participation among female AA college students in Tallahassee, FL. The emergence of IG as a subjective normative group among this population will also be explored to report on its possible effects on behavioral intention and resulting behavior within the paradigm of TRA-Theory of Reasoned Action among this population.

Methods: The research was conducted in two phases; qualitative focus group validation of the survey instrument and quantitative survey administration. 24 African American women currently enrolled college were selected to participate in the qualitative focus groups. A total of 135 women fitting the same inclusion criteria, participated in the full-scale study and were included in the final analysis.

Results: Results from the qualitative focus showed that Instagram use among the population is extremely high, and its increased use may lend Instagram power as a subjective norm, to influence behaviors (physical activity) and mediate other factors like body image perception and self-esteem. Additionally, the quantitative analyses revealed that there exists a slight negative correlation between Instagram usage and body image satisfaction. Future practical implications of this research involve the utilization of Instagram as a high impact tool to facilitate health promotion initiatives, not limited to increasing physical activity participation, among African American women in college. Suggested steps for future research include further investigation into Instagram and its role as a subjective normative group among this and other populations.