Research
Adherence
Habitual social media engagement or exposure to image-related content is associated with higher body dissatisfaction and disordered food choices (including dieting, restricting, and overeating) in healthy young adults.
If you are a young adult, be aware that your social media habits may negatively impact your body image and eating behaviors. Limit exposure to image-heavy content that triggers comparison, and prioritize real-world health goals over online validation.
ModerateSupportsMEDIUM confidence
Quantitative analysis (n = 26) identified social media engagement or exposure to image-related content was associated with higher body dissatisfaction, dieting/restricting food, overeating, and choosing healthy foods.
Why this rating
Based on observational studies (cross-sectional/correlational), not experimental or causal evidence.
Source
Social media, body image and food choices in healthy young adults: A mixed methods systematic review
Kim Rounsefell et al. · Nutrition & Dietetics · 2019
DOI 10.1111/1747-0080.12581
systematic_review · n=11125Cited 453×
Read the paper DOI resolved against Crossref · corpus check 2026-06-10
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