AUTHOR=Grimminger-Seidensticker Elke , Le Bot Gaëlle , Savage David , Chaplais Elodie 
  
TITLE=Body dissatisfaction among French and German sports science students – a cross-country comparison
  
JOURNAL=International Journal of Public Health
  
VOLUME=Volume 71 - 2026
  
YEAR=2026
  
URL=https://www.ssph-journal.org/journals/international-journal-of-public-health/articles/10.3389/ijph.2026.1610065
  
DOI=10.3389/ijph.2026.1610065
  
ISSN=1661-8564
  
ABSTRACT=ObjectivesThis cross-country study examines body (dis)satisfaction in relation to motives for using fitness-related social media among sports science students in Germany and France.MethodsA total of 523 German (mean age 21.22) and 611 French (mean age 19.85) sports science students completed a questionnaire to assess body dissatisfaction, drive for thinness, drive for size, and motives for engaging with fitness-related social media.ResultsTwo-way factorial ANOVAs revealed that French students exhibited significantly greater body dissatisfaction and drive for thinness compared to their German counterparts. French female students demonstrated a stronger drive for size; male French students demonstrated a stronger drive for thinness. Hierarchical regression analysis showed that body image issues were predicted by gender, country, and social media motives, such as seeking dieting ideas.ConclusionQualitative studies are necessary to investigate unconventional body image concerns among French students. Given that future practitioners act as role models and may be responsible for developing health education programs, it is crucial to ensure that they can educate others in a healthy manner.