Myths Regarding Gender Differences in Eating Disorders in Adolescents

Factors predicting eating disorder (ED) may vary among genders. This study investigated the gender specific influence of adolescents' social media use, body perception, depression and anxiety symptoms on eating disorder risk.

The sample consisted of 183 adolescents aged 14 to 18 years (mean: 15.65±0.89). Sociodemographic information and data from the, Children's Depression Inventory (CDI), Social Media Attitude Scale (SMAS), Eating Disorder Examination Scale (EDES), Eating Attitudes Test (EAT), Screen for Child Anxiety Related Emotional Disorders Child Version (SCARED), and Body Cathexis Scale (BCS) were collected.

In this study, women have higher scores in SCARED (p<0.001), and lower scores in social competence subscale of SMAS (p=0.008) in comparison to men. Adolescents at risk for eating attitudes had higher scores in the CDI, the BCS, and the SMAS-Social Competence subscale, while adolescents at risk for eating disorder had higher scores in all scales except the SMAS-Relationship with Teachers subscale. Although depression and body perception influence women's' eating attitudes directly, social media revealed its effect on ED by the mediation of depressive symptoms. In men, social isolation, anxiety, and depression directly predicts ED, while social media enhanced the risk of ED by aggravating anxiety.

It is important to know the factors that influence the risk of ED in terms of gender, and effectively address adolescence's psychological and medical burden.