Social Media, Thin-Ideal, Body Dissatisfaction and Disordered Eating Attitudes: An Exploratory Analysis

• Published in: International journal of environmental research and public health Vol. 16; no. 21; p. 4177
• Main Authors: Aparicio-Martinez, Pilar, Perea-Moreno, Alberto-Jesus, Martinez-Jimenez, María Pilar, Redel-Macías, María Dolores, Pagliari, Claudia, Vaquero-Abellan, Manuel
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Switzerland MDPI AG 29.10.2019; MDPI
• Subjects: Addictions; Adolescent; Adult; Attitudes; Body Dissatisfaction - psychology; Body Image - psychology; Cross-Sectional Studies; Digital media; Eating disorders; Feeding and Eating Disorders - epidemiology; Female; Humans; Living conditions; Minority & ethnic groups; Normalizing; Perception; Personal Satisfaction; Self Concept; Self esteem; Self image; Social Media; Social networks; Social organization; Spain - epidemiology; Students - psychology; Surveys and Questionnaires; Testosterone; Young Adult; Young adults; Spain; university students; disordered eating behaviours; body image; female; social media
• ISSN: 1660-4601; 1661-7827; 1660-4601
• DOI: 10.3390/ijerph16214177

Disordered eating attitudes are rapidly increasing, especially among young women in their twenties. These disordered behaviours result from the interaction of several factors, including beauty ideals. A significant factor is social media, by which the unrealistic beauty ideals are popularized and may lead to these behaviours. The objectives of this study were, first, to determine the relationship between disordered eating behaviours among female university students and sociocultural factors, such as the use of social network sites, beauty ideals, body satisfaction, body image and the body image desired to achieve and, second, to determine whether there is a sensitive relationship between disordered eating attitudes, addiction to social networks, and testosterone levels as a biological factor. The data ( = 168) was obtained using validated surveys (EAT-26, BSQ, CIPE-a, SNSA) and indirect measures of prenatal testosterone. The data was analysed using chi-square, Student's t-test, correlation tests and logistic regression tests. The results showed that disordered eating attitudes were linked to self-esteem ( < 0.001), body image ( < 0.001), body desired to achieve ( < 0.001), the use of social media ( < 0.001) and prenatal testosterone ( < 0.01). The findings presented in this study suggest a relationship between body image, body concerns, body dissatisfaction, and disordered eating attitudes among college women.