Eating behaviours, social media usage, and its association: A cross-sectional study in Indian medical undergraduates

Abstract

Background: Despite increasing incidence, there is little data on abnormal eating behaviours or disorders in Indian youth, especially medical students. Additionally, little literature exists measuring the association of social media use with abnormal eating behaviours. Aim: To assess the prevalence of abnormal eating behaviours amongst medical students, social media usage, and any association of social media usage with eating behaviours. Materials and Methods: An online cross-sectional questionnaire-based study was conducted with 272 participants at a medical college, and two scales: the Three-Factor Eating Questionnaire-Revised 21items (TFEQ-R21) and the Scale of Effects of social media on Eating Behaviour (SESMEB) were used. Results: 22% of the participants reported abnormal eating behaviours. A significant difference in the effect of social media on eating behaviour according to the year of study [f = 3.08, P = 0.02] was seen with the final years having the lowest and the first years having the highest SESMEB scores. Students using more than 4 social media platforms had a higher SESMEB score [t = -2.02, P < 0.04]. A positive correlation was seen between TFEQ domains such as uncontrolled eating [r = 0.38, P = 0.01], emotional eating [r = 0.30, P = 0.01], and TFEQ total score [r = 0.40, P = 0.01] with SESMEB scores. Conclusion: This study finds a significant correlation between increased social media usage and developing abnormal eating behaviours in medical students. It highlights the need for the creation of policies regulating social media use with eating behaviours in mind.