Fat is fashionable and fit: A comparative content analysis of Fatspiration and Health at Every Size® Instagram images

•We examined fat acceptance themes in Fatspiration and HAES® Instagram images.•The presence of fat shaming, eating, and weight loss content was explored.•Both common and unique ways of inspiring a fat accepting-identity were observed.•HAES® images specifically contained both size-affirming and size-denigrating content.•Implications for motivating fat acceptance and well-being are considered. In step with the proliferation of Thinspiration and Fitspiration content disseminated in popular web-based media, the fat acceptance movement has garnered heightened visibility within mainstream culture via the burgeoning Fatosphere weblog community. The present study extended previous Fatosphere research by comparing the shared and distinct strategies used to represent and motivate a fat-accepting lifestyle among 400 images sourced from Fatspiration- and Health at Every Size®-themed hashtags on Instagram. Images were systematically analyzed for the socio-demographic and body size attributes of the individuals portrayed alongside content reflecting dimensions of general fat acceptance, physical appearance pride, physical activity and health, fat shaming, and eating and weight loss-related themes. #fatspiration/#fatspo-tagged images more frequently promoted fat acceptance through fashion and beauty-related activism; #healthateverysize/#haes posts more often featured physically-active portrayals, holistic well-being, and weight stigma. Findings provide insight into the common and unique motivational factors and contradictory messages encountered in these fat-accepting social media communities.