Social media use and binge eating: An integrative review

Despite binge eating being important to public health, no recent reviews have been conducted to produce a comprehensive synthesis of current literature on the relationship between social media use and binge eating. The aims of this review were: (1) to standardize the measurement of social media use in recent research, (2) to identify eating types that include binge-eating concepts, and (3) to identify the relationships between social media use and binge eating. This is an integrative review of studies conducted from 2016 to 2021 on binge eating and social media use. Searches were conducted in PubMed, PsycInfo, and Web of Science; eight studies were included in this integrative review. Included studies found direct or indirect effects of social media use on binge eating. The more participants use social media, the more likely they are to have increased appetite or intention to eat, which can lead to binge eating. The recent binge-eating studies indicated a significant relationship between social media use and binge eating. Interventions for binge eating should be developed with an understanding of individuals' social media use.