PLOS Global Public Health · 4 authors, 2 centres
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This scoping review synthesized 50 studies to map evidence on how social media use relates to body image concerns and eating disorders in young people aged 10–24. The review found that social media usage is a plausible risk factor for eating disorders, with relationships mediated by social comparison and thin/fit ideal internalisation.
This scoping review systematically mapped literature from 50 studies across 17 countries on social media use and body image/eating disorders in young people aged 10–24 years. The review identified that social media usage is a plausible risk factor for body image concerns and eating disorders/disordered eating, with evidence suggesting pathways via social comparison, thin/fit ideal internalisation, and self-objectification. Specific exposures like pro-eating disorder content and moderators such as female gender and pre-existing concerns strengthen the relationship, while high social media literacy may be protective. The authors describe a 'self-perpetuating cycle of risk'. Limitations include the cross-sectional nature of most included studies, which means causation cannot be presumed, and a concentration of evidence from middle-high income countries, limiting generalisability to low-income settings. The review concludes that social media usage is a meaningful global public health concern warranting further research and intervention.
