EFFECTS OF SOCIAL MEDIA USE ON EATING HABITS: AN EMPIRICAL STUDY OF UNIVERSITY STUDENTS
##plugins.themes.academic_pro.article.sidebar##
##plugins.themes.academic_pro.article.main##
Abstract
This empirical study investigated the effects of social media use on the eating habits of university students. The study aimed to understand the patterns of social media usage among students in terms of frequency, duration, and preferred platforms, and to explore how social media influenced their attitudes towards food, perceptions of healthy eating, and engagement in unhealthy eating behaviors. A survey was conducted among a diverse sample of university students, and the data was analyzed using statistical methods. The results indicated that social media played a significant role in students' daily lives, with a majority of participants agreeing that it had a prominent presence and influenced their food choices. While social media provided a platform for discovering new food cultures, finding recipes, and promoting healthy eating, it also exposed students to unrealistic body image standards and sometimes led to unhealthy eating behaviors. The study recommends promoting digital literacy and media literacy among students to help them critically evaluate the content they encounter on social media platforms. Additionally, educational interventions and awareness campaigns could focus on promoting positive body image and healthy eating habits, while addressing the negative impact of social media on eating behaviors. By understanding the effects of social media use on eating habits, stakeholders can develop targeted interventions to promote healthy eating behaviors and well-being among university students.
##plugins.themes.academic_pro.article.details##
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.
References
Barker, E. T. (2018). Social media, body image, and food addiction. Eating Disorders, 26(5), 499-504. doi:10.1080/10640266.2018.1480777
Chen, Y., Yang, X., Wang, L., & Wang, L. (2017). Is mindful eating associated with lower risk of common chronic diseases? A systematic review and meta-analysis. Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, 117(11), 1759-1772.
Chou, W. Y. S., & Prestin, A. (2013). Use of social and mobile media for health behavior change among college students: A systematic review. Journal of Medical Internet Research, 15(5), e101. https://doi.org/10.2196/jmir.2439
Duggan, M., & Smith, A. (2013). Social media update 2013. Pew Research Center, 14.
Higgs, S., & Thomas, J. (2016). Social influences on eating. Current Opinion in Behavioral Sciences, 9, 1–6. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cobeha.2016.01.007
Hsu, Y. Y., Lin, H. C., & Wang, Y. H. (2019). Association between social media use and healthy dietary behaviors among college students. Journal of Nutrition Education and Behavior, 51(5), 556-561. doi:10.1016/j.jneb.2019.01.003
Kaplan, A. M., & Haenlein, M. (2010). Users of the world, unite! The challenges and opportunities of social media. Business horizons, 53(1), 59-68.
Lee, R. M., Chen, L., & Lien, C. H. (2018). Building social capital through workplace connections: A study of social media use and job satisfaction in Taiwan. Telematics and Informatics, 35(6), 1756-1764.
Levine, M. P., & Murnen, S. K. (2009). “Everybody knows that mass media are/are not [pick one] a cause of eating disorders”: A critical review of evidence for a causal link between media, negative body image, and disordered eating in females. Journal of Social and Clinical Psychology, 28(1), 9–42. https://doi.org/10.1521/jscp.2009.28.1.9
Liechty, T., & Lee, M. J. (2013). The role of nutrition knowledge in health-seeking behavior among African American women. Journal of the National Medical Association, 105(4), 303–312. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0027-9684(15)30178-2
Lin, L. Y., Zhou, D., & Li, T. L. (2017). The effects of social media on college students. Journal of Educational Technology Development and Exchange, 10(1), 1-14.
Madden, M., Lenhart, A., Cortesi, S., Gasser, U., Duggan, M., Smith, A., & Beaton, M. (2013). Teens, social media, and privacy. Pew Research Center. https://www.pewresearch.org/internet/2013/05/21/teens-social-media-and-privacy/
Perrin, A. (2015). Social media usage: 2005-2015. Pew Research Center. https://www.pewresearch.org/internet/2015/10/08/social-networking-usage-2005-2015/
Pew Research Center. (2018). Privacy and information sharing. Retrieved from https://www.pewresearch.org/internet/2018/03/27/privacy