The Impact of Problematic Social Media Use on Mindful Eating: Understanding Health Within the Digital World

This study aims to determine the relationship between problematic social media usage, addiction to mindful eating, digital nutrition, and health literacy among adults.

Cross-sectional study.

The study involved 405 participants (154 men, 251 women) aged between 18 and 60. The participants were administered a questionnaire package involving demographic information sheet, anthropometric measurements, Mindful Eating Questionnaire (MEQ), Health Literacy Index (HLI), Digital Healthy Diet Literacy (DHDL), and Social Media Addiction Form (SMAS).

Women scored 2.2 ± 0.34 on the MEQ, 102.5 ± 16.41 on the HLI, 21.4 ± 11.95 on the DHDL, and 2.2 ± 0.71 on the SMAS. Men scored 2.3 ± 0.34, 100.8 ± 14.69, 21.1 ± 11.89, 2.6 ± 2.49, respectively. Significant correlations were found between problematic social media use and education level, and employment status (p < 0.05). There was a positive correlation between problematic social media use and mindful eating, while a negative relationship was found between problematic social media use and health literacy (p < 0.05). There was a significant negative relationship between health literacy and mindful eating, and a significant positive relationship between health literacy and digital nutrition literacy (p < 0.05).

Problematic social media usage has an impact on mindful eating, health literacy, and nutrition literacy. Improving health literacy could reduce problematic social media use by enabling individuals to benefit from health information better. Exposure to unverified diet trends on Instagram, on social media, might prevent the beneficial use of the platforms.