Investigation of the relationship between social media addiction and obesity and body perception in university students

Çakmak, Seda. (2020). Investigation of the Relationship between Social Media Addiction and Obesity and Body Perception in University Students. Yeditepe University Institute of Health Sciences, Department of Nutrition and Dietetics, Msc thesis, İstanbul. The use of social media platforms, which are rapidly becoming widespread and indispensable in daily life, has the same risks as well as positive effects. Uncontrolled and excessive use of social media can lead to health problems such as obesity in youth, which is a critical period, and negatively affect body perception. This thesis was conducted with 248 students who are students of Yeditepe University in Kayışdağı district of İstanbul province in order to investigate the relationship between obesity and body perception of social media addiction among university students. Social Media Addiction Scale was used to measure social media addiction, Body Perception Scale was used to determine body perception, and Body Mass Index (BMI) (kg / m2) was used to determine obesity status. Data were collected using a structured questionnaire including sociodemographic information, lifestyle, and eating habits. There was a significant relationship between social media addiction and body perception. As a result of the study, it was determined that social media addiction varies according to the year of use of social media, alcohol use, meal skipping and frequency of fast food consumption. It was found that the sub-dimensions of the social media addiction scale differed according to exercise and having psychological disease. There was a significant relationship between fast food consumption frequency and body perception. BMI differed according to the presence of obese individuals in the family. In conclusion, social media addiction can cause obesity risk factors to develop and impair body perception