EVALUATING THE INFLUENCE OF SOCIAL MEDIA ON BODY IMAGE PERCEPTION AND DISORDERED EATING BEHAVIOURS AMONG UNIVERSITY STUDENTS

Abstract

BACKGROUND:  Excessive use of social media has been associated with negative body image and disordered eating behaviors among young adults. Exposure to appearance-focused content  and  peer comparisons on social platforms may influence self-perception and promote unhealthy eating attitudes.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the influence of social media on body image perception and disordered eating behaviours among university students aged 18–25 years.

METHODOLOGY: A cross-sectional analytical study was conducted at Riphah International University, Lahore, involving 200 students selected through convenient sampling. Data was collected using self-designed demographic questionnaires and standardized tools: Social Media Disorder (SMD) scale, Body Appreciation Scale-2 (BAS-2), and Eating Attitudes Test (EAT-26) questionnaires. Data  was analyzed using SPSS-26 with descriptive and inferential statistics to assess associations between social media use, body appreciation, and eating disorder risk.

RESULTS: Most participants (72%) exhibited problematic social media use. Participants with problematic use predominantly reported low (51.4%) or moderate (48.6%) body appreciation, while non-problematic users mostly reported moderate (35.7%) to high (64.3%) body appreciation (p = 0.00). Additionally, 69.5% of problematic users were classified at high risk for disordered eating, compared to 37.5% of non-problematic users (p = 0.00).

CONCLUSION: Problematic social media use is significantly associated with lower body appreciation and higher risk of disordered eating among university students. These  findings highlight  the impact of excessive social media engagement on mental health, emphasizing the need for awareness programs and interventions to promote healthy usage habits.

KEY TERMS: Social Media, Body Image, Eating Disorders, University Students, BAS-2, EAT- 26, SMD