An Ecological Momentary Assessment of Self-improvement and Self-evaluation Body Comparisons: Associations with College Women's Body Dissatisfaction and Exercise

Physical "lying flat": The negative effect of personal relative deprivation on health-promoting lifestyles

BACKGROUND

Social comparison is an inevitable aspect of human life, often leading to personal relative deprivation, wherein individuals experience a sense of unfair treatment when they perceive themselves as being at a disadvantage in comparison to others. Earlier research has observed a phenomenon called "lying flat" associated with personal relative deprivation, characterized by a lack of motivation for self-improvement. The purpose of this study is to investigate whether this pattern is suitable for the domains of health-promoting lifestyles given that health-promoting is driven by self-improvement motivation.

METHODS

In three studies conducted in China, an understudied non-Western society, we investigated the association between personal relative deprivation and health-promoting lifestyles by utilizing diverse measures and samples.

RESULTS

Findings from Study 1 (N = 12,465) indicated a negative relationship between personal relative deprivation and health-promoting behavior. This effect was particularly prominent among older individuals (Study 2, N = 11,378). Study 3 (N = 234) indirectly explored the possibility that a decreased priority given to health goals explains the reduced adoption of health-promoting behaviors when experiencing personal relative deprivation.

LIMITATIONS

First, all health-promoting lifestyles are self-reported. Second, the mechanism between PRD and health-promoting lifestyles was not directly examined.

CONCLUSION

Overall, this research confirms the physical "lying flat" phenomenon, highlighting that personal relative deprivation contributes to unhealthy diets and physical inactivity. Moreover, our findings also suggest that the lower significance placed on health goals relative to other life goals may serve as an underlying reason for this phenomenon.

Use of Electronic Ecological Momentary Assessment Methodologies in Physical Activity, Sedentary Behavior, and Sleep Research in Young Adults: Systematic Review

BACKGROUND

Recent technological advances allow for the repeated sampling of real-time data in natural settings using electronic ecological momentary assessment (eEMA). These advances are particularly meaningful for investigating physical activity, sedentary behavior, and sleep in young adults who are in a critical life stage for the development of healthy lifestyle behaviors.

OBJECTIVE

This study aims to describe the use of eEMA methodologies in physical activity, sedentary behavior, and sleep research in young adults.

METHODS

The PubMed, CINAHL, PsycINFO, Embase, and Web of Science electronic databases were searched through August 2022. Inclusion criteria were use of eEMA; sample of young adults aged 18 to 25 years; at least 1 measurement of physical activity, sedentary behavior, or sleep; English language; and a peer-reviewed report of original research. Study reports were excluded if they were abstracts, protocols, or reviews. The risk of bias assessment was conducted using the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute's Quality Assessment Tool for Observational Cohort and Cross-Sectional Studies. Screening, data extraction, and risk of bias assessments were conducted by independent authors, with discrepancies resolved by consensus. Descriptive statistics and narrative synthesis were used to identify overarching patterns within the following categories guided by the Checklist for Reporting Ecological Momentary Assessments Studies: study characteristics, outcomes and measures, eEMA procedures, and compliance.

RESULTS

The search resulted in 1221 citations with a final sample of 37 reports describing 35 unique studies. Most reports (28/37, 76%) were published in the last 5 years (2017-2022), used observational designs (35/37, 95%), consisted of samples of college students or apprentices (28/35, 80%), and were conducted in the United States (22/37, 60%). The sample sizes ranged from 14 to 1584 young adults. Physical activity was measured more frequently (28/37, 76%) than sleep (16/37, 43%) or sedentary behavior (4/37, 11%). Of the 37 studies, 11 (30%) reports included 2 movement behaviors and no reports included 3 movement behaviors. eEMA was frequently used to measure potential correlates of movement behaviors, such as emotional states or feelings (25/37, 68%), cognitive processes (7/37, 19%), and contextual factors (9/37, 24%). There was wide variability in the implementation and reporting of eEMA procedures, measures, missing data, analysis, and compliance.

CONCLUSIONS

The use of eEMA methodologies in physical activity, sedentary behavior, and sleep research in young adults has greatly increased in recent years; however, reports continue to lack standardized reporting of features unique to the eEMA methodology. Additional areas in need of future research include the use of eEMA with more diverse populations and the incorporation of all 3 movement behaviors within a 24-hour period. The findings are intended to assist investigators in the design, implementation, and reporting of physical activity, sedentary behavior, and sleep research using eEMA in young adults.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

PROSPERO CRD42021279156; https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/prospero/display_record.php?ID=CRD42021279156.

Social media and dating app use are differentially related to same- and next-day disordered eating pathology in young men with loss of control eating

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate whether social networking site (SNS) and dating app use is associated with disordered eating in young men.

METHODS

42 men (18-35y) who reported ≥4 loss of control (LOC) eating episodes in the prior month completed a 14-day ecological momentary assessment (EMA) protocol. Five times throughout the day, participants responded to prompts regarding their dietary restraint, body dissatisfaction, and LOC eating. Each night at ~10 pm, participants reported their total time spent on SNSs and dating apps/websites within the last day.

RESULTS

39 out of 42 cisgender men (M_age = 25.1 ± 5.3 years; 47 % non-Hispanic White, 29 % Black or African American; 63 % non-students; 87 % heterosexual) reported using SNSs and/or dating apps. Neither SNS nor dating app use was associated with body dissatisfaction. Dating app use with associated with higher same- (r² equivalent = 0.022, p = .003) and next-day dietary restraint (r² equivalent = 0.016, p = .02); SNS use was not. More SNS use was associated with lower odds of same- (OR [95 % CI] = 0.86 [0.75, 0.99], p = .044) and next-day LOC eating (OR [95 % CI] = 0.82 [0.71, 0.96], p = .011); links with dating app use were non-significant.

DISCUSSION

Non-significant links for SNS and dating app use with body dissatisfaction, and inverse associations with LOC eating, are contrary to research conducted with girls and women. Research is needed to evaluate whether the quality of SNS and dating app engagement (e.g., specific sites) are more closely related to men's disordered eating, and this work should consider muscularity concerns.

Why are people ‘Lying Flat’? Personal relative deprivation suppresses self‐improvement motivation

The 'Lying Flat' mindset refers to people's low intention to self-improvement. We hypothesized that personal relative deprivation (PRD), the negative consequence of social comparisons, is one of the reasons that might harm individuals' self-improvement motivations. In study 1 (N = 313), we found that PRD negatively predicted self-improvement after controlling for various confounding variables. This result is confirmed in study 2a (N = 3399) and 2b (N = 3219) by using a national representative sample. Furthermore, Study 2a found that the effect of PRD on self-improvement was mediated by the system-justifying belief (SJB). In study 3 (N = 160), we experimentally demonstrated that PRD harms self-improvement and persistence via its effect on SJB. The higher PRD people experienced, the less they endorsed the SJB, which thereby reduced self-improvement. Taken together, this research manifested that not only would PRD affect people's social beliefs (e.g. SJB) but also hinder self-improvement motivations.

TikTok on the clock but the #fitspo don't stop: The impact of TikTok fitspiration videos on women's body image concerns

Fitspiration is a popular social media trend that aims to inspire individuals to improve their health and fitness through diet and exercise. However, viewing fitspiration content on Instagram has been identified as a contributor to negative body image, especially for young women. With the growing popularity of the video sharing platform TikTok and concerns over its content, the present study aimed to experimentally examine the effect of exposure to fitspiration TikTok videos on young women's body dissatisfaction, appearance comparison and mood. The roles of state appearance comparison as a mediator and trait fit ideal internalisation as a moderator were also considered. Young women (18-25, N = 120) from Australia were randomly allocated to view a set of fitspiration videos or a set of art control videos from TikTok. Results indicated that exposure to fitspiration TikTok videos increased state appearance comparison and state negative mood relative to art TikTok videos but did not directly increase state body dissatisfaction. State appearance comparison significantly mediated the effect of TikTok videos on body dissatisfaction and mood, however, there was no moderating effect of trait fit ideal internalisation. These findings highlight the importance of state appearance comparison in relation to viewing fitspiration content on TikTok.

Rationale and Design of an Ecological Momentary Assessment Study Examining Predictors of Binge Eating Among Sexual Minority and Heterosexual Young Women: Protocol for the Health and Experiences in Real Life (HER Life) Study

BACKGROUND

Previous research has identified health disparities between sexual minority and heterosexual women, including increased rates of obesity and binge eating in sexual minority women. Established predictors of binge eating behavior include negative emotions and sociocultural processes; however, these studies are generally conducted in samples of young women where sexual identity is not known or reported. There is a dearth of research evaluating how sexual minority-specific factors (eg, minority stress and connectedness to the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer community) may affect binge eating in sexual minority women. In addition, no studies have examined these processes in racially diverse samples or considered how intersecting minority identities (eg, Black and sexual minority) may affect eating behaviors.

OBJECTIVE

The Health and Experiences in Real Life (HER Life) Project aims to clarify real-world predictors of binge eating in young heterosexual and sexual minority women using ecological momentary assessment. The role of affective, social, and health behavior factors in binge eating will be examined for all women (aim 1), and sexual minority-specific predictors will also be considered for sexual minority women participants (aim 2). Person-level moderators of race, body- and eating-related factors, and sexual minority-specific factors will also be examined to better understand how real-world binge eating predictors may differ for various demographic groups (aim 3).

METHODS

Researchers aim to recruit 150 sexual minority and 150 heterosexual women from across the United States, including at least 50 Black women for each group, using web-based recruitment methods. The eligibility criteria include identifying as a woman, being aged between 18 and 30 years, and having had at least two binge eating episodes in the last 2 weeks. Participants must endorse being only or mostly attracted to men (considered heterosexual) or only or mostly attracted to women or having a current or most recent female partner (considered sexual minority). Eligible participants complete an initial web-based baseline survey and then 14 days of ecological momentary assessment involving the completion of a morning and before-bed survey and 5 prompted surveys per day as well as a user-initiated survey after binge eating episodes. The data will be analyzed using a series of multilevel models.

RESULTS

Data collection started in February 2021. We have currently enrolled 129 sexual minority women and 146 heterosexual women. Data collection is expected to conclude in fall 2022.

CONCLUSIONS

The Health and Experiences in Real Life Project aims to elucidate potential differences between sexual minority and heterosexual women in within-person factors predicting binge eating and inform eating disorder interventions for sexual minority women. The challenges in recruiting sexual minority women, including the determination of eligibility criteria and considerations for remote data collection, are discussed.

INTERNATIONAL REGISTERED REPORT IDENTIFIER (IRRID)

DERR1-10.2196/41199.

Does Assessment Alter Responses? An Examination of Measurement Reactivity in an Ecological Momentary Assessment of Body Comparisons

Introduction: Body comparisons have been implicated in body dissatisfaction and eating disorder development. Ecological momentary assessment (EMA) has been used to capture body comparisons in everyday life; however, the potential for measurement reactivity this approach has on EMA responses has yet to be examined. The present study systematically evaluated measurement reactivity in EMA of body comparisons. Methods: Undergraduate women (N = 75) completed four surveys daily for 11 days; Days 1–4 did not include comparison assessments and Days 5–11 did. Changes were examined in related EMA measures between these time periods and individual difference measures pre- and post-EMA. Results: A within-person MANOVA showed no significant change in the individual difference measures. Multilevel analyses revealed that participants reported fewer comparisons as day of study increased. When they completed EMA with versus without comparison items, they reported fewer occasions of loss of control while eating and less pleasant social company at time of assessment. Discussion: Findings suggest limited concern for reactivity in this approach, though researchers examining body comparisons, loss of control eating, and perceptions of social company should be cautious when interpreting their findings and consider examining reactivity directly. Future research on body comparisons should also consider using run-in periods to improve data quality.

Measurement of the influences of social processes in appetite using ecological momentary assessment

Obesity and eating disorders are serious health concerns that both involve dysregulated eating patterns, including binge eating and emotional eating. Though social processes and appetite dysregulation have been shown to predict dysregulated eating separately, limited research has examined the potential link between social processes and appetite in daily life. The purpose of the present study was to examine the association between naturally occurring social processes previously linked with dysregulated eating and appetite using ecological momentary assessment (EMA). Thirty women with binge-eating pathology completed five semi-random EMA surveys a day for 14 days. The EMA surveys included measures of social processes that occurred between surveys (i.e., interpersonal problems, body social comparisons, social media use, and external pressures for thinness) and assessments of appetite at time of survey. Multilevel analyses revealed that each social process approximately 2-h prior positively predicted appetite. Further, using lagged analyses, all of the social processes approximately 4-h prior, aside from social media use, predicted appetite. Our findings suggest that social processes are important in predicting appetite among women with binge-eating pathology. Future extensions of this research that include measures of dysregulated eating are needed.

A multi-study approach to refining ecological momentary assessment measures for use among midlife women with elevated risk for cardiovascular disease

BACKGROUND

Ample evidence indicates that everyday perceptions of the social environment can affect health behaviors; these include social comparisons (i.e., self-evaluations compared to others) and positive versus negative social interactions. However, relations between social perceptions and healthy behaviors have received little attention among specific medical populations for whom an improved understanding of behavioral determinants could inform updates to tailored interventions. Research methods that capture and differentiate between stable, person-level differences and dynamic, within-person variability in these relations would be particularly useful, both for identifying their nature in daily life and informing improvements to tailored interventions.

METHODS

We conducted a series of three formative research studies to adapt and test the measures and instructions for an ecological momentary assessment (EMA) protocol with midlife women who had elevated risk for cardiovascular disease (CVD; e.g., current diagnosis of hypertension, type 2 diabetes). Study 1 involved a pilot test of initial EMA items, sent to participants' smartphones 5 times per day for 7 days (N=13; M_Age =47, M_BMI =33.7 kg/m²), as well as brief exit interviews to identify points of confusion and suggestions for improvement. Study 2 used 1-hour, individual qualitative interviews with a new sample to elicit women's perceptions of revised items and identify additional opportunities for refinement (N=10, M_Age =52, M_BMI =29.8 kg/m²). In Study 3, a new sample of participants completed 7 days of EMA with revised items and instructions (5 times per day; N=13, M_Age =50, M_BMI =33.4 kg/m²).

RESULTS

Item performance in Study 3, including the frequencies of reporting social comparisons and interactions, was compared to that in Study 1 using multilevel modeling; these tests showed meaningful improvement in reporting patterns between Studies 1 and 3 (e.g., changes of d=0.33-0.75 where appropriate).

CONCLUSIONS

Together, findings from this series of studies demonstrate the utility of a multi-study approach to refining EMA methods for use with midlife women who have elevated CVD risk, which may generalize to other populations of interest.