Slimmer physique in selfie does not mean you are attractive: study

New Delhi: A study in the UK finds that selfies could give a false idea of slimmer physique when it is actually not so.

The researchers at York St John University and the University of York had 272 participants rated photos of 10 volunteer model in exercise clothing.

Selfies can be quite satisfying as people tend to see their slimmer versions, thanks perhaps to the angle.

That is not the case with other angles from which somebody’s photo is taken.

The findings published in PLOS One journal says that selfies can create the illusion of a slimmer appearance.

However, having slimmer physique in selfie doesn’t necessarily enhance one's attractiveness, it added.

Participants of the study rated women’s bodies as slimmer in selfies than in photos from other angles.

The angles at which models were photographed include a selfie angle, a chin-down angle, and a straight-on angle.

However, participants rated selfie photos of models as significantly slimmer than their photos from other angles.

‘Many of us see selfies every day as we browse the growing number of social media platforms. We know that filters can change the way bodies appear. This research suggests that the angle from which the photo is taken can change our judgments about body size, so that when consuming images on the internet, even simple unfiltered selfies, what we see is not necessarily an accurate representation of real life,’ the authors of the study was quoted as saying.

Participants with higher levels of disordered eating symptoms rated models’ selfie photos more favourably.

Viewing selfie photos could be damaging for those who are vulnerable to developing eating disorders, the study suggests.

The study points at the link between body satisfaction and social media use, which is getting widespread.