Publication Date
2020
Start Date
28-8-2020 12:25 PM
End Date
28-8-2020 12:50 PM
Moderator
Christiana Tembo
Description
US adults’ social media usage has increased from 5% in 2005 to 79% in 2019. According to a survey by the National Eating Disorders Association, 95% of girls agree that they perceive a large quantity of unkind criticism on appearances on social media “posts, comments, photos and videos”; 72% of girls see them weekly, and 62% of girls wish social media were a place that supported “body positivity.” With the increased use of social media today, people’s eating habits are drastically influenced by them. Eating disorders, which can cause serious mental and physical damage, might be negatively associated with social media. This presentation will explore four different ways in which social media promote eating disorders, and what can be done to minimalize the negative influence on body image that social media can bring us.
How Social Media Promote Eating Disorders
US adults’ social media usage has increased from 5% in 2005 to 79% in 2019. According to a survey by the National Eating Disorders Association, 95% of girls agree that they perceive a large quantity of unkind criticism on appearances on social media “posts, comments, photos and videos”; 72% of girls see them weekly, and 62% of girls wish social media were a place that supported “body positivity.” With the increased use of social media today, people’s eating habits are drastically influenced by them. Eating disorders, which can cause serious mental and physical damage, might be negatively associated with social media. This presentation will explore four different ways in which social media promote eating disorders, and what can be done to minimalize the negative influence on body image that social media can bring us.