The relationship between social media addiction, chronotype, and body mass index among adults attending the Çukurova University Family Health Center

ABSTRACT The Relationship Between Social Media Addiction, Chronotype, and Body Mass Index Among Adults Attending the Çukurova University Family Health Center Objective: Advancements in technology and increased access to social media may lead to problematic usage behaviors, addiction-level effects, and health issues. Most of the studies on social media addiction have been conducted among adolescents, and the relationship between chronotype, social media addiction, and body mass index (BMI) has not been examined collectively. This study aims to evaluate the relationship between social media addiction, chronotype, and BMI among adults. Materials and Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted among adults aged 18 and over who applied to the Çukurova University Family Health Center. Data were collected using a sociodemographic information form, the "Morningness–Eveningness Questionnaire," and the "Bergen Social Media Addiction Scale" (BSMAS). Results: Of the participants, whose mean age was 37.04±10.43 years, 57,0% (n=241) were female. The average addiction score was 15.17±6.22, and 45.2% of participants scored above the mean. In terms of chronotype, 48.7% were intermediate type, 32.9% were morning type, and 18.4% were evening type. The mean age of the morning-type group (41.57±11.56) was significantly higher than that of the intermediate and evening-type groups (35.85±9.22 and 32.09±8.08, respectively) (p<0.001). Evening-type participants had significantly higher mean BSMAS scores (20.15±5.70) than the intermediate and morning-type groups (15.42±5.72 and 12.02±5.25, respectively) (p<0.001). Similarly, the average daily social media usage of morning-type individuals (1.83±1.21 hours) was shorter than that of evening-types (4.72±2.26 hours) (p<0.001). The BMI averages across chronotype groups were found to be similar. A weak negative correlation was observed between BMI and social media addiction scores (rs = –0.106). Conclusion: It was noteworthy that nearly half of the adults who participated in the study had above-average social media scores. The participants with an evening chronotype had higher social media addiction scores than those with other chronotypes. Contrary to our expectations, no correlation was found between BMI and chronotype, while a weak negative correlation was found with social media addiction. These findings which differs from the literature, requires further studies. It would be valuable to consider concurrently the social media usage behaviors, chronotype characteristics, and sociodemographic variables presenting to primary healthcare services. Keywords: Body mass index, adult individuals, chronotype, social media addiction