Research Notebook Moses Young

Rozgonjuk, D., Ignell, J., Mech, F., Rothermund, E., Gündel, H., & Montag, C. (2023).

Smartphone and Instagram use, body dissatisfaction, and eating disorders: Investigating

the associations using self-report and tracked data. Journal of Eating Disorders, 11

Article 149. [Link]

This article was going over research that examined any correlation between smartphone

and Instagram use with eating disorders and body dissatisfaction. The researchers used

preinstalled smartphone apps to gather data from participants. Rozgonjuk et al. said this data

includes time spent in each app and how much time was spent total on the participants mobile

phones. They simply state that the participants had to be over 18, speak German well enough to

understand each question and have either and Android or iOS device. The survey was advertised

online as well as in psychotherapy clinics.

Here, the authors indicate that social media users are shown what the ideal body should

look like. It is important to understand and investigate social media usage and certain problems

associated with it. They say that the aim of the study was to explore any links between

smartphone and social media use and body dissatisfaction (BD) and eating disorders (ED). The

authors state that the study compared women with and without a history of eating disorders. The

authors say this study went beyond self reports by using built in apps. There was a positive

correlation between screen time and eating disorders and body dissatisfaction. The authors say

that although there was not a strong link between Instagram usage and BD/ED.
 The authors are surprised by the findings of the study because there have been many

previous studies showing a strong link between Instagram use and eating disorders/body

dissatisfaction. Rozgonjuk et al. also said that there was not much difference in Instagram use

between women with and without eating disorders. This study shows that high Instagram use is

not a good predictor of eating disorders and body dissatisfaction. They say that the screen time a

person has, the more time will be spent on Instagram, although the proportion of screen time to

Instagram use decreases as screen time increases.

Notes:

Consequences of ED’s (eating disorders)

 “Anorexia has the highest mortality amongst all mental disorders: only 50% of

individuals fully recover” (Dane et al., 2023, para. 7).

 “The cost of eating disorders at a health systems level is significant, fuelled by increased

hospitalisations and the significant burden placed on primary and outpatient services”

(Dane et al., 2023, para. 8).

 Dane et al. (2023) found that there are many outcomes of ED’s. These can include heart

disease, a reduction in bone density and many psychiatric conditions (para. 7).

 Lonergan et al. (2020) discovered that due to a large increase in eating disorders, there

have been serious effects on the healthcare system in Australia. Every year it costs the

Australian healthcare system 100 million dollars to care for each person with an ED

(para. 5).

 “Self-presentation on social media has been highlighted as potentially important in

connection with mental health and well-being among adolescents. Baumeister & Hutton
 (1987, pg. 71-87) defined self-presentation as an individual practice related to how one

presents oneself to others, motivated by a wish to make a socially desirable impression on

others, and simultaneously, stay true to one’s beliefs and ideals. On social media, self-

presentation may include presenting and sharing self-made content, posting of personal

opinions, sharing online content of interest, and “selfies” and pictures” (Danielson et al.,

2024, para. 6).

 “ED are associated with severe disturbances in people’s eating patterns and related

emotions and thoughts, including preoccupation with food, body weight, and shape. ED

include, but are not limited to, anorexia nervosa (AN), bulimia nervosa (BN), and binge

eating disorder (BED). In their lifetime, 13% of adolescent girls and women experience a

clinical or subclinical ED, and 60% actively try to lose weight despite being within the

normal weight range” (Sharma & Vidal, 2023, para. 8).

o The number that was shocking to me is how many young women are trying to

lose weight despite being in the normal weight range.

 “Teenage females are at an alarmingly high risk of developing eating problems, which

have been linked to severe emotional anguish and medical issues. Compared to boys,

girls are three times more likely to exhibit an eating disorder by the age of 15 years.

Literature reveals that due to the developmental changes brought on by puberty, as well

as cultural and societal pressures, body image is a problem for people throughout their

entire lifespan” (Suhang et al., 2024, para. 6).

 o Body image is not something that only teenage girls experience and then it just

goes away. Many people will struggle with it for their entire life. This is way more

than I originally thought.

Statistics and findings

 Dane et al. (2023) found that social media is a risk factor in developing eating disorders.

There are many susceptible groups, not just one (para. 81).

 “The hypothesis that photo-based behaviors would be associated with greater odds of

eating disorder diagnosis was largely supported. All behaviors increased the odds for

meeting diagnostic criteria for most eating disorders. The second hypothesis, that there

would not be gender differences in the relationship between photo-based behaviors and

meeting criteria for an eating disorder, was also largely supported” (Lonergan et al., 2020,

para. 27).

o The research found that people who really care about how they look in photos

have increased susceptibility to eating disorders. They also found there is almost

no gender difference.

 Lonergan et al. (2023) also found that adolescent girls who manipulate their photos have

a relation to eating disorders (para. 29).

 “Studies show that, among teenagers who use social media, around 12% exhibit signs of

social media addiction” (Mushtaq et al., 2023, para. 3).

 “Similarly, a study conducted in Australia reported that 51.7% of girls and 45% of boys

had disordered eating behaviors. Moreover, around 75% of girls and 70% of boys owned

at least one social media account” (Mushtaq et al., 2023, para. 9).

o To me this shows a clear link between disordered eating behaviors and social

media usage. Maybe the more SM accounts young people have, the more

susceptible they are to ED’s.

 Mushtaq et al. (2023) found that young people whose families have a history of eating

disorders are at least twice as likely to develop an eating disorder (para. 35).

 Mushtaq et al. (2023) found that more than 40% of the youth studied in Pakistan showed

a higher risk of eating disorders and social media addiction. Results were similar in both

males and females (para. 45).

 “In the current study, we found significant, strong positive associations between ED

pathology, internalization of body ideals, and the perceived pressure from family, peers,

significant others, and media in both girls and boys. These patterns of associations align

with research in young adult samples, including college females, Turkish college females,

and Italian males and females (18–72 years). However, associations between
 internalization of appearance ideals, especially the thin ideal and ED pathology were

consistently stronger in girls” (Dahlgren et al., 2024, para. 24).

o The study found that there is a connection between ED pathology and body ideals

that are internalized, perceived pressure from close ones and media in both

genders. This research aligns with research in young adults. But the internalized

“thin” ideal was much stronger in girls.

 Something that Dahlgren et al. (2024) found is that both Instagram and TikTok use

algorithms that will play certain content tailored toward individuals. This isn’t anything

new, but the fact is once someone starts getting caught up in content that promotes

unhealthy eating, social media will continue to show them that kind of content. This can

be very hard to get away from (para. 25).

 “In an experimental study, female college students from the U.S. who spent time on

Facebook reported greater concerns about their shape and weight and a higher state of

anxiety compared to a control group who viewed a neutral website” (Bai et al., 2024,

para. 9).

 “With 655 million daily users, Facebook represents a ubiquitous merging of two social

influences linked to risk for developing eating disorders through reinforcement of the thin

ideal: media and peers. Traditional media, such as movies, television, and magazines,

portray an unrealistically thin ideal for female beauty. Exposure to this ideal leaves many

adolescent girls and women with body dissatisfaction, which increases risk for disordered
 eating over time. Peers influence risk for body dissatisfaction and eating pathology, in

part, by endorsing the thin ideal” (Mabe et al., 2014, para. 1).

o One thing to keep in mind is that these are slightly older statistics than some other

articles I have found. Most likely there are more daily Facebook users nowadays.

Quick research showed an average of about 2 billion users daily. This quote is

basically saying young women are being bombarded with an unrealistic body in

movies and shows and their friends might also be going for the same thing

(endorsing it).

 “Adolescents, particularly those in the age range of 13-18, are among the heaviest users

of social media platforms, with platforms like Instagram, TikTok, and Snapchat serving

as prominent avenues for social interaction and self-expression” (Suhang et al. 2024,

para. 2).

o This has led to many mental health problems as well because many sites are not

meant for people who are around 13 years old.

 “Additionally, undergraduate women prefer image-focused websites over fashion

publications at the moment. Examples of these websites include fashion/beauty and

entertainment/celebrity websites. According to a recent study, many websites promote

stereotypical notions of feminine elegance, just like in the mainstream media” (Suhang et

al., 2024, para. 4).

  Lopéz-Montón, et al., (2024) found in a study that there are differences when comparing

the two sexes. 30% of women have a dysfunctional pattern of food intake while only 17%

of men have a dysfunctional way of eating (para. 3).

 One thing I found is that almost all of the common eating disorders are listed in the

DSM-5.

 Men are not immune to body dissatisfaction though. Something that Lopéz-Montón, et

al., (2024) found is that photos of shirtless men with perfect muscles have been shown to

cause body dissatisfaction (para. 6).

 “In the current study, we found significant, strong positive associations between ED

pathology, internalization of body ideals, and the perceived pressure from family, peers,

significant others, and media in both girls and boys” (Dahlgren et al., 2024, para. 22).

Causes and effects of ED’s and what they are

 “Although it is not possible to isolate one single cause, the plausible link between social

media, body image dissatisfaction and eating disorders is alarming. Based on the scale of

social media usage, this could impact the wellbeing of a significant proportion of the

world’s young- particularly those who are already vulnerable” (Dane et al., 2023, para.

110).

o Social media addiction and eating disorders could be affecting way more people

than we realize. While only some people actually report having an eating disorder,

there could be millions more people who are also having the same issues.
 “Students who were married and were smokers had a higher probability of developing

bulimia” (Mushtaq et al., 2023, para. 38).

 “Eating disorder pathology is characterized by negative body image, weight and shape

concerns, disruptive eating patterns and low self-esteem. It is common in adolescents and

can, if left untreated, lead to the development of clinical EDs” (Dahlgren et al., 2024,

para. 7).

 Bai et al., (2024) said that body dissatisfaction is when there is a discrepancy between a

persons view of their body and their “ideal” body. Social media is one of the most

common causes of this. Another cause can be social factors. In Asia, those who had been

exposed more to western culture media had increased body dissatisfaction and higher

tendencies to develop ED’s (para. 9-10).

 “Our findings also showed that greater SNS intensity was associated with higher body

esteem, which was associated with lower ED tendencies in Chinese students. This result

—a positive relationship between SNS intensity and body esteem in Chinese students—is

contrary to most of the literature regarding SNS use and body dissatisfaction. In our

study, the SNS Intensity Scale was designed without restrictions on which social media

could be used. As we were aware that WeChat’s utilization rate is over 80% in China, we

guessed that most Chinese participants would answer the SNS Intensity Scale with

reference to WeChat” (Bai et al., 2024, para.46).

 o It is very important to note that although in China there seems to be a positive

association with using social media networks and having greater body esteem and

a lower tendency to develop ED’s, most Chinese participants would answer the

questionnaire based on their WeChat usage because it is so widely used there. It is

not the same as Instagram, TikTok. Facebook, Snapchat, etc.

 He et al., (2022) said that social media dependence is often associated with an increased

to develop eating disorders, often among younger people. This is because young adults

have no trouble accessing the internet, which is where they spend a lot of their free time

(para. 7).

 “More recently, highly visual social media (HVSM), which are SM platforms that consist

of sharing images or videos, have gained popularity. HVSM platforms, such as Instagram

and Snapchat, allow for the editing, filtering, posting, sharing, and tagging of photos”

(Sharma & Vidal, 2023, para. 7).

o This type of social media interaction can lead to eating disorders if not used well.

It can be very hard to tell if someone has edited their photos or not, leaving some

people thinking that edited photos are a realistic expectation.

 “An emerging factor relevant to body dissatisfaction in adolescence is social media use,

which has been found to predict increases in body dissatisfaction among girls and boys”

(Vuong et al., 2021, para. 2).

Bai, Y., Numata, N., & Shimizu, E. (2024). Eating disorders and social media use among college

students in Japan and China: A brief cross-sectional survey. Journal of Eating

Disorders, Article 44. [Link]

Dahlgren, C.L., Sundgot-Borgen, C., Kvalem, I.L., Wennersberg, A., & Wisting, L. (2024).

Further evidence of the association between social media use, eating disorder

pathology and appearance ideals and pressure: a cross-sectional study in Norwegian

adolescents. Journal of Eating Disorders, Article 34. [Link]

00992-3

Dane, A., & Bhatia, K. (2023). The social media diet: A scoping review to investigate the

association between social media, body image and eating disorders amongst young

people. PLOS Global Public Health, 3(3). [Link] 10.1371/[Link].0001091

Danielsen, H., Finseras, T., Anderson, A., Hjetland, G., Woodfin, V., & Skogen, J. (2024). Mirror,

mirror on my screen: Focus on self-presentation on social media is associated with

perfectionism and disordered eating among adolescents. Results from the

“LifeOnSoMe”-study. BMC Public Health, 24(2466). [Link]

19317-9

He, Z., & Yang, W. (2022). Impulsiveness as potential moderators of the relation between social

media dependence and eating disorders risk. BMC Psychology, 20, Article 120.

[Link]

Lonergan, A.R., Bussey, K., Fardouly, J., Griffiths, S., Murray, S.B., Hay, P., Mond, J.,

Trompeter, N., & Mitchison, D. (2021). Protect me from my selfie: Examining the

association between photo-based social media behaviors and self-reported eating

 disorders in adolescence. International Journal of Eating Disorders, 53(5) 755-

766. [Link]

López-Montón, M., Aonso-Diego, G., & Estévez, A. (2024). Emotional distress and body

dissatisfaction: the mediating role of social media and emotional regulation. Behavioral

Sciences, 14(7) Article 580. [Link]

Mabe, A., Forney, K., & Keel, P. (2014). Do You “Like” My Photo? Facebook Use Maintains

Eating Disorder Risk. Empirical Article. 47(516-523).

[Link]

Mushtaq, T., Ashraf, S., Hameed, H., Irfan, A., Shahid, M., Kanwal, R., Aslam, M.A., Shahid,

H., Koh-E-Noor, Shazly, G.A., Khan, M.A., & Bin Jardan, Y.A. (2023). Prevalence of

eating disorders and their association with social media addiction among youths.

nutrients, 15(21) Article 4687. [Link] 10.3390/nu15214687

Rozgonjuk, D., Ignell, J., Mech, F., Rothermund, E., Gündel, H., & Montag, C. (2023).

Smartphone and Instagram use, body dissatisfaction, and eating disorders: Investigating

the associations using self-report and tracked data. Journal of Eating Disorders, 11

Article 149. [Link]

Sharma, A., & Vidal, C. (2023). A scoping literature review of the associations between highly

visual social media use and eating disorders and disordered eating: a changing

landscape. Journal of Eating Disorders, 11, Article 170. [Link]

00898-6
Suhag, K., & Shyambabu, R. (2024). Social media effects regarding eating disorders and body

image in young adolescents. Cureus, 16(4). https:// 10.7759/cureus.58674

Vuong, A., Jarman, H., Doley, J., & Mclean, S. (2021). Social Media Use and Body

Dissatisfaction in Adolescents: The Moderating Role of Thin- and Muscular-Ideal

Internalisation. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health,

18(13222). [Link]