2024-08-09 09:17:59
Is TikTok the first step to an eating disorder?
Social media is known to have a negative effect on the body image of young people. Users are confronted with unrealistic ideals of beauty.
This leads to a negative comparison: Many young and old people are not satisfied. Videos that show very thin bodies or regular diet tips are of little help.
Die Research authors Madison Blackburn and Rachel Hogg from Australia Charles Sturt College wanted to examine in more detail how the type of content significantly affects the body image of young people.
► Results show that just eight minutes a day can have great results. Therefore, TikTok content just reduces satisfaction with its own style.
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Diet and fitness videos put to the test
A small group of 273 test participants aged 18 to 28 were randomly divided into two groups:
- Test group: They show seven to eight minute videos on anorexia and fitness content. Young women who restrict their diet and give exercise or diet tips.
- Management team: Participants watched a seven- to eight-minute collection of TikTok videos that contained “illegal” content such as nature, cooking and animal videos.
► People with eating disorders were excluded from the study. Body satisfaction and attitudes toward beauty standards were measured before and after the videos.
Both groups reported less satisfaction with each other after watching the videos. The decline was greater for participants with anorexia nervosa content.
High levels of consumption affect the way your body feels
Before the test, questions were asked about the general use of TikTok. Their interest in “healthy” eating and eating disorder symptoms were also measured.
The researchers found that people who used TikTok for more than two hours a day had more disordered eating behavior reported. However, the difference between the groups was not large enough to rule out an advantage.
► On a scale assessing eating disorder symptoms, participants reported high (two to three hours per day) or moderate (more than three hours per day) TikTok use below the cutoff.
This means: Using TikTok for more than two hours a day can lead to an eating disorder.
However, further research is needed to investigate this.
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