The Influence of social media on developing body image dissatisfaction and eating disorders
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.12775/JEHS.2023.22.01.005Keywords
body image disorders, self-body image, social media, eating disordersAbstract
INTRODUCTION
Social media platforms are commonly used worldwide, affecting every-day living of billions of people. It may impacts both self-esteem and self-evaluation of its users. Formed by social influence, the ideal beauty standards lead to an unhealthy comparison, need of external validation and pursuit of ideal appearance. Induced body image dissatisfaction could be the cause of many different eating disorders or rigorous exercises. Promoted by media, ideal body-image creates unhealthy focus on BMI, weight and shape of one’s own body.
PURPOSE
The aim of this study is to present the current state of knowledge on the impact of social media on evolving dissatisfaction with body image, followed by eating disorders.
METHODS
For the purposes of writing this article, the available literature was reviewed. The database of medical publications – PubMed database and publicly available books was searched, using keywords such as social media and body image disorders, eating disorders.
RESULTS
According to reviewed studies, spending more time on following social media intensifies body image disorders among both young women and men, as a result of negative upward comparison of their external appearance. A problematic social media use, passive and focused on image-related platforms, heightens a risk of developing a self-dissatisfaction and body concerns. Disordered eating behaviors are significantly connected to a frequent use of an image-related social media platforms.
CONCLUSIONS
Maintaining a healthy relationships with peers and parents protects self-esteem of adolescents and lowers the risk of body-image and eating disorders. A greater focus should be put on educating young people about their value, self-assessment and healthy relations.
References
Number of social media users worldwide from 2017 to 2027. Statista S. Dixon, Feb 13, 2023 https://www.statista.com/statistics/278414/number-of-worldwide-social-network-users/
Farsi D. Social Media and Health Care, Part I: Literature Review of Social Media Use by Health Care Providers. J Med Internet Res. 2021 Apr 5;23(4):e23205. doi: 10.2196/23205. PMID: 33664014; PMCID: PMC8056296.
Jo S, Jang MY. Concept analysis of adolescent use of social media for emotional well-being. Int J Nurs Pract. 2023 Feb;29(1):e13116. doi: 10.1111/ijn.13116. Epub 2022 Oct 30. PMID: 36310404.
Cingel DP, Carter MC, Krause HV. Social media and self-esteem. Curr Opin Psychol. 2022 Jun;45:101304. doi: 10.1016/j.copsyc.2022.101304. Epub 2022 Feb 2. PMID: 35245885.
Terhoeven V, Nikendei C, Bärnighausen T, Bountogo M, Friederich HC, Ouermi L, Sié A, Harling G. Eating disorders, body image and media exposure among adolescent girls in rural Burkina Faso. Trop Med Int Health. 2020 Jan;25(1):132-141. doi: 10.1111/tmi.13340. PMID: 31710750; PMCID: PMC8609432.
Rounsefell K, Gibson S, McLean S, Blair M, Molenaar A, Brennan L, Truby H, McCaffrey TA. Social media, body image and food choices in healthy young adults: A mixed methods systematic review. Nutr Diet. 2020 Feb;77(1):19-40. doi: 10.1111/1747-0080.12581. Epub 2019 Oct 3. PMID: 31583837; PMCID: PMC7384161.
Jiotsa B, Naccache B, Duval M, Rocher B, Grall-Bronnec M. Social Media Use and Body Image Disorders: Association between Frequency of Comparing One's Own Physical Appearance to That of People Being Followed on Social Media and Body Dissatisfaction and Drive for Thinness. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2021 Mar 11;18(6):2880. doi: 10.3390/ijerph18062880. PMID: 33799804; PMCID: PMC8001450.
Aparicio-Martinez P, Perea-Moreno AJ, Martinez-Jimenez MP, Redel-Macías MD, Pagliari C, Vaquero-Abellan M. Social Media, Thin-Ideal, Body Dissatisfaction and Disordered Eating Attitudes: An Exploratory Analysis. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2019 Oct 29;16(21):4177. doi: 10.3390/ijerph16214177. PMID: 31671857; PMCID: PMC6861923.
Powell E., Wang-Hall J., Bannister J.A., Colera E., Lopez F.G. Attachment security and social comparisons as predictors of Pinterest users’ body image concerns. Comput. Hum. Behav. 2018;83:221–229. doi: 10.1016/j.chb.2018.01.039.
Manago, A. M., Ward, L. M., Lemm, K. M., Reed, L., & Seabrook, R. (2015). Facebook involvement, objectified body consciousness, body shame, and sexual assertiveness in college women and men. Sex roles, 72(1), 1-14.
Dakanalis A, Carrà G, Calogero R, Fida R, Clerici M, Zanetti MA, Riva G. The developmental effects of media-ideal internalization and self-objectification processes on adolescents' negative body-feelings, dietary restraint, and binge eating. Eur Child Adolesc Psychiatry. 2015 Aug;24(8):997-1010. doi: 10.1007/s00787-014-0649-1. Epub 2014 Nov 22. PMID: 25416025.
Rodgers, R. F. (2015). The Relationship Between Body Image Concerns, Eating Disorders and Internet Use, Part II: An Integrated Theoretical Model. Adolescent Research Review, 1(2), 121–137. doi:10.1007/s40894-015-0017-5
Wilksch SM, O'Shea A, Ho P, Byrne S, Wade TD. The relationship between social media use and disordered eating in young adolescents. Int J Eat Disord. 2020 Jan;53(1):96-106. doi: 10.1002/eat.23198. Epub 2019 Dec 3. PMID: 31797420.
Hosseini SA, Padhy RK. Body Image Distortion. 2022 Sep 5. In: StatPearls [Internet]. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing; 2022 Jan–. PMID: 31536191.
Festinger L. A theory of social comparison processes. Hum. Relat. 1954;7:117–140. DOI: 10.1177/001872675400700202.
Mann RB, Blumberg F. Adolescents and social media: The effects of frequency of use, self-presentation, social comparison, and self esteem on possible self imagery. Acta Psychol (Amst). 2022 Aug;228:103629. doi: 10.1016/j.actpsy.2022.103629. Epub 2022 May 31. PMID: 35661975.
Cohen, R., Newton-John, T., & Slater, A. (2017). The relationship between Facebook and Instagram appearance-focused activities and body image concerns in young women. Body Image, 23, 183–187. doi:10.1016/j.bodyim.2017.10.002
Hogue JV, Mills JS. The effects of active social media engagement with peers on body image in young women. Body Image. 2019 Mar;28:1-5. doi: 10.1016/j.bodyim.2018.11.002. Epub 2018 Nov 12. PMID: 30439560.
Jean Marks, R., De Foe, A., & Collett, J. (2020). The Pursuit of Wellness: Social Media, Body Image and Eating Disorders. Children and Youth Services Review, 105659. doi:10.1016/j.childyouth.2020.105659
Sidani JE, Shensa A, Hoffman B, Hanmer J, Primack BA. The Association between Social Media Use and Eating Concerns among US Young Adults. J Acad Nutr Diet. 2016 Sep;116(9):1465-1472. doi: 10.1016/j.jand.2016.03.021. Epub 2016 May 5. PMID: 27161027; PMCID: PMC5003636
Vall-Roqué H, Andrés A, Saldaña C. The impact of COVID-19 lockdown on social network sites use, body image disturbances and self-esteem among adolescent and young women. Prog Neuropsychopharmacol Biol Psychiatry. 2021 Aug 30;110:110293. doi: 10.1016/j.pnpbp.2021.110293. Epub 2021 Mar 2. PMID: 33662532; PMCID: PMC8569938.
Bagot KS, Tomko RL, Marshall AT, Hermann J, Cummins K, Ksinan A, Kakalis M, Breslin F, Lisdahl KM, Mason M, Redhead JN, Squeglia LM, Thompson WK, Wade T, Tapert SF, Fuemmeler BF, Baker FC. Youth screen use in the ABCD® study. Dev Cogn Neurosci. 2022 Sep 1;57:101150. doi: 10.1016/j.dcn.2022.101150. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 36084446; PMCID: PMC9465320.
Rodgers RF, Laveway K, Campos P, de Carvalho PHB. Body image as a global mental health concern. Glob Ment Health (Camb). 2023 Feb 27;10:e9. doi: 10.1017/gmh.2023.2. PMID: 36861019; PMCID: PMC9970735.
Wade NE, Ortigara JM, Sullivan RM, Tomko RL, Breslin FJ, Baker FC, Fuemmeler BF, Delrahim Howlett K, Lisdahl KM, Marshall AT, Mason MJ, Neale MC, Squeglia LM, Wolff-Hughes DL, Tapert SF, Bagot KS; ABCD Novel Technologies Workgroup. Passive Sensing of Preteens' Smartphone Use: An Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development (ABCD) Cohort Substudy. JMIR Ment Health. 2021 Oct 18;8(10):e29426. doi: 10.2196/29426. PMID: 34661541; PMCID: PMC8561413.
de Vries DA, Vossen HGM, van der Kolk-van der Boom P. Social Media and Body Dissatisfaction: Investigating the Attenuating Role of Positive Parent-Adolescent Relationships. J Youth Adolesc. 2019 Mar;48(3):527-536. doi: 10.1007/s10964-018-0956-9. Epub 2018 Nov 26. PMID: 30478819; PMCID: PMC6394528.
Roberts SR, Maheux AJ, Hunt RA, Ladd BA, Choukas-Bradley S. Incorporating social media and muscular ideal internalization into the tripartite influence model of body image: Towards a modern understanding of adolescent girls' body dissatisfaction. Body Image. 2022 Jun;41:239-247. doi: 10.1016/j.bodyim.2022.03.002. Epub 2022 Mar 17. PMID: 35306356.
McComb SE, Mills JS. The effect of physical appearance perfectionism and social comparison to thin-, slim-thick-, and fit-ideal Instagram imagery on young women's body image. Body Image. 2022 Mar;40:165-175. doi: 10.1016/j.bodyim.2021.12.003. Epub 2021 Dec 27. PMID: 34968854.
Downloads
Published
How to Cite
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2023 Dominika Górska, Kamila Świercz, Magdalena Majcher, Małgorzata Sierpień, Monika Majcher, Agata Pikulicka, Aleksandra Karwańska, Aleksandra Kulbat, Piotr Brzychczy, Mateusz Kulbat
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.
The periodical offers access to content in the Open Access system under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0
Stats
Number of views and downloads: 2431
Number of citations: 0