Myths Regarding Gender Differences in Eating Disorders in Adolescents

Area of Science:

• Psychiatry
• Adolescent Health
• Mental Health

Background:

• Eating disorders (ED) pose significant risks to adolescent well-being.
• Predictive factors for ED may differ between genders.
• Understanding these gender-specific influences is crucial for targeted interventions.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the gender-specific impact of social media use, body perception, depression, and anxiety on eating disorder risk in adolescents.

Main Methods:

• A sample of 183 adolescents (aged 14-18) completed various validated scales.
• Data collected included sociodemographics, depression (CDI), social media attitudes (SMAS), ED risk (EDES, EAT), anxiety (SCARED), and body perception (BCS).

Main Results:

• Women reported higher anxiety (SCARED) and lower social competence (SMAS) than men.
• Adolescents at risk for ED showed higher scores in depression, body perception, and social media attitudes.
• Depression and body perception directly impacted women's eating attitudes; social media influenced ED via depressive symptoms.
• For men, social isolation, anxiety, and depression directly predicted ED, with social media exacerbating anxiety.

Conclusions:

• Gender-specific factors influence eating disorder risk in adolescents.
• Interventions should consider the distinct pathways through which social media, mental health, and body perception affect ED risk in males and females.
• Addressing the psychological and medical burden of ED requires a nuanced, gender-informed approach.