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The relationship between social media use, eating attitude and body mass index among nutrition and dietetic female students: A cross-sectional study

Authors

  • Şule Aktaç Beslenme ve Diyetetik Bölümü, Sağlık Bilimleri Fakültesi, Marmara Üniversitesi, Istanbul, Turkey. http://orcid.org/0000-0002-2158-5015
  • Dicle Kargin Beslenme ve Diyetetik Bölümü, Sağlık Bilimleri Fakültesi, Marmara Üniversitesi, Istanbul, Turkey. http://orcid.org/0000-0002-7393-730X
  • Fatma Esra Güneş Beslenme ve Diyetetik Bölümü, Sağlık Bilimleri Fakültesi, Marmara Üniversitesi, Istanbul, Turkey. http://orcid.org/0000-0003-1693-6375

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.14306/renhyd.25.1.1094

Keywords:

Body Mass Index, Feeding Behavior, Social Media, Female, Students, Universities

Abstract

Introduction: This study aimed to investigate the relationship between media using habits, frequency and duration, and body mass index on eating attitudes.

Material and methods: The cross-sectional study was conducted with female students who received nutrition and dietetics education in Istanbul. A questionnaire consisting of a socio-demographic questionnaire, Eating Attitude Test (EAT-40), and Social Media Attitude Scale was applied to 1248 female volunteers by the face-to-face interview method.

Results: It was found that 35.7% of the participants had abnormal eating attitudes and 89.6% showed a positive attitude towards social media. 93.7% of the group with abnormal eating attitudes indicated a positive attitude towards social media, 0.4% had a negative attitude and the difference was statistically significant (p=0.001). It was observed that a significant difference between EAT-40 and thought of an eating problem, having a social media membership, and spending time on social media (p<0.05).

Conclusions: Social media have an effect on nutrition dietetics students on abnormal eating attitude; it did not show a significant effect on BMI.

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Published

2021-03-31

Versions

How to Cite

Aktaç, Şule, Kargin, D., & Güneş, F. E. (2021). The relationship between social media use, eating attitude and body mass index among nutrition and dietetic female students: A cross-sectional study. Spanish Journal of Human Nutrition and Dietetics, 25(1), 78–86. https://doi.org/10.14306/renhyd.25.1.1094