School of Exercise Science, Physical and Health Education, University of Victoria, Victoria, BC, Canada.
Department of Psychology, University of Victoria, Victoria, BC, Canada.
J Med Internet Res. 2021 Apr 19;23(4):e20954. doi: 10.2196/20954.
Exercise identity is an important predictor for regular physical activity (PA). There is a lack of research on the potential mechanisms or antecedents of identity development. Theories of exercise identity have proposed that investment, commitment and self-referential (eg, I am an exerciser) statements, and social activation (comparison, support) may be crucial to identity development. Social media may be a potential mechanism to shape identity.
The objectives of this study were to (1) explore whether participants were willing to share their Instagram data with researchers to predict their lifestyle behaviors; (2) examine whether PA-related Instagram uses (ie, the percentage of PA-related Instagram posts, fitness-related followings, and the number of likes received on PA-related posts) were positively associated with exercise identity; and (3) evaluate whether exercise identity mediates the relationship between PA-related Instagram use and weekly PA minutes.
Participants (18-30 years old) were asked to complete a questionnaire to evaluate their current levels of exercise identity and PA. Participants' Instagram data for the past 12 months before the completion of the questionnaire were extracted and analyzed with their permission. Instagram posts related to PA in the 12 months before their assessment, the number of likes received for each PA-related post, and verified fitness- or PA-related followings by the participants were extracted and analyzed. Pearson correlation analyses were used to evaluate the relationship among exercise identity, PA, and Instagram uses. We conducted mediation analyses using the PROCESS macro modeling tool to examine whether exercise identity mediated the relationship between Instagram use variables and PA. Descriptive statistical analyses were used to compare the number of willing participants versus those who were not willing to share their Instagram data.
Of the 76 participants recruited to participate, 54% (n=41) shared their Instagram data. The percentage of PA-related Instagram posts (r=0.38; P=.01) and fitness-related Instagram followings (r=0.39; P=.01) were significantly associated with exercise identity. The average number of "likes" received (r=0.05, P=.75) was not significantly associated with exercise identity. Exercise identity significantly influenced the relationship between Instagram usage metrics (ie, the percentage of PA-related Instagram posts [P=.01] and verified fitness-related Instagram accounts [P=.01]) and PA level. Exercise identity did not significantly influence the relationship between the average number of "likes" received for the PA-related Instagram posts and PA level.
Our results suggest that an increase in PA-related Instagram posts and fitness-related followings were associated with a greater sense of exercise identity. Higher exercise identity led to higher PA levels. Exercise identity significantly influenced the relationship between PA-related Instagram posts (P=.01) and fitness-related followings on PA levels (P=.01). These results suggest that Instagram may influence a person's exercise identity and PA levels. Future intervention studies are warranted.
运动身份是定期进行体育锻炼（PA）的重要预测因素。但是对于身份发展的潜在机制或前提条件的研究还很缺乏。运动身份理论提出，投入、承诺和自我参照（例如，我是一名锻炼者）的陈述以及社会激活（比较、支持）可能对身份发展至关重要。社交媒体可能是塑造身份的潜在机制。
本研究的目的是：（1）探讨参与者是否愿意与研究人员共享他们的 Instagram 数据来预测他们的生活方式行为；（2）检验 PA 相关的 Instagram 使用（即，PA 相关帖子的百分比、健身相关关注者以及 PA 相关帖子收到的点赞数）是否与锻炼身份呈正相关；（3）评估锻炼身份是否在 PA 相关的 Instagram 使用与每周 PA 分钟数之间起中介作用。
要求参与者（18-30 岁）完成一份问卷，以评估他们当前的锻炼身份和 PA 水平。参与者在完成问卷前的 12 个月的 Instagram 数据经他们同意后提取并进行分析。提取并分析参与者评估前 12 个月内与 PA 相关的 Instagram 帖子、每个 PA 相关帖子收到的点赞数以及参与者已验证的健身或 PA 相关关注者。使用 Pearson 相关分析评估锻炼身份、PA 和 Instagram 使用之间的关系。我们使用 PROCESS 宏建模工具进行中介分析，以检验锻炼身份是否在 Instagram 使用变量与 PA 之间起中介作用。使用描述性统计分析比较愿意分享他们的 Instagram 数据的参与者和不愿意分享他们的 Instagram 数据的参与者。
在招募的 76 名参与者中，有 54%（n=41）愿意分享他们的 Instagram 数据。PA 相关 Instagram 帖子的百分比（r=0.38；P=.01）和健身相关 Instagram 关注者的百分比（r=0.39；P=.01）与锻炼身份显著相关。收到的平均点赞数（r=0.05，P=.75）与锻炼身份无显著相关性。锻炼身份显著影响 Instagram 使用指标（即 PA 相关 Instagram 帖子的百分比[P=.01]和已验证的健身相关 Instagram 账户[P=.01]）与 PA 水平之间的关系。锻炼身份对 PA 相关 Instagram 帖子的平均点赞数与 PA 水平之间的关系没有显著影响。
我们的研究结果表明，PA 相关的 Instagram 帖子和健身相关的关注者数量的增加与更高的锻炼身份意识相关。更高的锻炼身份导致更高的 PA 水平。锻炼身份显著影响 PA 相关 Instagram 帖子（P=.01）和健身相关的 PA 关注者（P=.01）与 PA 水平之间的关系。这些结果表明，Instagram 可能会影响一个人的锻炼身份和 PA 水平。未来需要进行干预研究。
