Social media, diet and fitness content, and Orthorexia Nervosa
A pilot investigation of viewership and Orthorexic behaviors
Keywords:
Orthorexia Nervosa, Social Media, Body Image, Online Diet Content, Online Fitness Content, TikTokAbstract
Relationships between disordered eating and social media use are well-documented by past research. Orthorexia nervosa (ON) encompasses disordered eating behaviors motivated by food purity or health quality rather than weight or shape. As ON increases in public attention, researchers have begun investigating specific relationships between social media and ON. The purpose of this study was to examine social media viewership of diet and fitness content (DFC) and ON symptomatology. A convenience sample of 305 participants (78.3% women, mean age = 20) completed an online survey. Participants reported their demographics, social media engagement, and completed ON symptomatology and body image questionnaires followed by a pilot questionnaire on DFC viewership. An independent-samples t-test revealed a small group difference, such that participants who frequent TikTok more than other social media platforms engage in more DFC viewership than those who frequent other platforms most. Additionally, a hierarchical regression analysis demonstrated that, after controlling for body image, greater DFC viewership related to higher ON symptomatology and was most predictive of ON behaviors. In line with past research, our findings suggest a relationship between ON symptomatology and social media use. Novel findings of this study further specify a relationship between DFC viewership and ON symptomatology.
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