Social Media Content Consumption and Risk of Eating Disorders among Students from a Private University in Metropolitan Lima

Bellido I.; Arian R.; Vera C.; Libertad M.; la Torre A.; Martin A. · Nutricion Clinica y Dietetica Hospitalaria (2026) · DOI: 10.12873/ncdh-2026-143

Resumen

Introduction: Social media use among university students may influence eating behavior, body comparison, and body image, which are factors related to eating disorder risk. Objectives: To evaluate the association between social media content viewed and eating disorder risk among students aged 18 to 25 years from a private university in Metropolitan Lima. Material and methods: A cross-sectional analytical observational study was conducted. A total of 189 students were included through non-probabilistic convenience sampling. Eating disorder risk was assessed using the Eating Attitudes Test-26 and was defined as a score greater than or equal to 20. Body image was evaluated using the Body Shape Questionnaire. Social media content was measured using an adapted instrument based on previous studies and applied descriptively after a pilot assessment of clarity and comprehension. Prevalence ratios were estimated using generalized linear models with Poisson family, log link, and robust variance. Results: Elevated eating disorder risk was 58.73% (111/189). Instagram (85.71%) and TikTok (71.43%) were the most frequently used platforms. The most common content combined food, wellness, and entertainment (83.07%). No statistically significant association was found between viewing only food and physical wellness content and elevated eating disorder risk (adjusted PR: 1.12; 95%CI: 0.84-1.48; p=0.439). Body dissatisfaction according to BSQ ≥81 was 4.23% (8/189). Discussion: Findings suggest that the general category of content viewed alone does not explain eating disorder risk in this sample. The absence of association may be related to the lack of measurement of total exposure time, intensity of use, and emotional variables such as anxiety, self-esteem, and social comparison. Conclusions: Social media content was not associated with higher eating disorder risk in the studied population. Future research should include validated measures of digital exposure, anxiety, self-esteem, body comparison, and daily social media use time.

Instituciones: Universidad Peruana de Ciencias Aplicadas