Abstract
Background
The etiology of eating concerns is multifactorial, and exposure to media messages
is considered to be a contributor. Although traditional media, such as television
and magazines, have been examined extensively in relation to eating concerns risk,
the influence of social media has received relatively less attention.
Objective
To examine the association between social media use and eating concerns in a large,
nationally representative sample of young adults.
Design
Cross-sectional survey.
Participants/setting
Participants were 1,765 young adults aged 19 to 32 years who were randomly selected
from a national probability-based online nonvolunteer panel.
Outcome measures
An eating concerns scale was adapted from two validated measures: the SCOFF Questionnaire
and the Eating Disorder Screen for Primary Care. Social media use (including Facebook,
Twitter, Google+, YouTube, LinkedIn, Instagram, Pinterest, Tumblr, Vine, Snapchat,
and Reddit) was assessed using both volume (time per day) and frequency (visits per
week).
Statistical analyses
To examine associations between eating concerns and social media use, ordered logistic
regression was used, controlling for all covariates.
Results
Compared with those in the lowest quartile, participants in the highest quartiles
for social media volume and frequency had significantly greater odds of having eating
concerns (adjusted odds ratio 2.18, 95% CI 1.50 to 3.17 and adjusted odds ratio 2.55,
95% CI 1.72 to 3.78, respectively). There were significant positive overall linear
associations between the social media use variables and eating concerns (P<0.001).
Conclusions
The results from this study indicate a strong and consistent association between social
media use and eating concerns in a nationally representative sample of young adults
aged 19 to 32 years. This association was apparent whether social media use was measured
as volume or frequency. Further research should assess the temporality of these associations.
It would also be useful to examine more closely the influence of specific characteristics
of social media use, including content-related and contextual features.
Keywords
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Biography
J. E. Sidani is a senior research specialist, Division of General Internal Medicine, Department of Medicine, and Center for Research on Media, Technology, and Health, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA.
Biography
A. Shensa is a statistician, Division of General Internal Medicine, Department of Medicine, and Center for Research on Media, Technology, and Health, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA.
Biography
B. Hoffman is a research assistant, Center for Research on Media, Technology, and Health, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA.
Biography
J. Hanmer is an assistant professor of medicine, Division of General Internal Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA.
Biography
B. A. Primack is a professor, Division of General Internal Medicine, Department of Medicine, and director, Center for Research on Media, Technology, and Health, and a professor, Division of Adolescent and Young Adult Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA.
Article info
Publication history
Published online: May 05, 2016
Accepted:
March 21,
2016
Received:
August 24,
2015
Footnotes
STATEMENT OF POTENTIAL CONFLICT OF INTEREST No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.
FUNDING/SUPPORT This work was supported by the National Cancer Institute at the National Institutes of Health (grant no. R01-CA140150).
Identification
Copyright
© 2016 by the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics.
