Determination of the Relationship Between Social Media and Eating Behaviour and Appearance in University Students

Purpose: This research aimed to investigate the interplay between social media use duration, dietary patterns, and appearance awareness among university students.Materials and Methods: This cross-sectional investigation included 356 university students registered at Nigde Omer Halisdemir University for the 2023–2024 academic year. Demographic data and lifestyle habits were collected via face-to-face questionnaires. The effect of social media on eating habits and body image was examined using the Scale of Effects of Social Media on Eating Behavior (SESMEB) and the Appearance-Related Social Media Consciousness Scale (ASMCS).Results: The mean age of participants was 20.51±1.64 years. Mean body mass index (BMI) was 21.42 kg/m² for females and 23.31 kg/m² for males, with a significant difference between sex (p < 0.05). Daily social media use duration averaged 253.01±165.84 minutes for males and 194.22±136.70 minutes for females (p = 0.001). The mean ASMCS score was higher in females (44.18 ± 15.38) than in males (39.59±18.90) (p = 0.018), whereas SESMEB scores didn’t differ significantly by sex (p > 0.05). No correlations were identified between social media use duration, SESMEB, and ASMCS scores (r = 0.096, p = 0.069 and r = -0.001, p = 0.990). SESMEB and ASMCS scores were also positively correlated (r = 0.182, p < 0.001). Regression analysis showed that social media use duration didn’t significantly predict SESMEB or ASMCS scores (p > 0.05).Conclusion: In this study, social media use duration did not have a significant effect on the SESMEB and ASMCS scores. However, the positive correlation between the scales suggests that social media-related eating behaviors and appearance awareness may be interconnected. This indicates that the qualitative aspects of social media use may be more influential than use duration.