‘The Love Island Effect’? The Reciprocal Relationship between Body Pressure from Watching Love Island and Engagement in Body Change Strategies

There is widespread concern that watching Love Island, a reality dating series featuring contestants with highly idealized bodies, may pressure young viewers to internalize unrealistic ideals and engage in body change strategies to conform. Using three-wave panel data collected during the 2023 series of Love Island UK (N = 344; M age = 20.42, SD = 1.98), this study examined the within-person relationships between body pressure from watching Love Island and engagement in - or desire to engage in - three body change strategies (i.e., weight loss, muscle gain, cosmetic surgery). Body pressure at the midpoint of the series predicted heightened engagement in weight loss and muscle gain strategies, and increased desire for cosmetic surgery, at the end of the series. Furthermore, heightened desire for cosmetic surgery predicted increased body pressure. Results therefore suggest that prolonged exposure to highly idealized bodies on Love Island may harm young viewers’ body image.