Interactive Effects of Instagram Foodies' Hashtagged #Foodporn and Peer Users' Eating Disorder on Eating Intention, Envy, Parasocial Interaction, and Online Friendship

#WhatIEatInADay: The effects of viewing food diary TikTok videos on young adults' body image and intent to diet

The rise of short-form video content has prompted research into its impact on body image; however, little remains known regarding the effects of exposure to food-related content of this type. The present study aimed to fill this gap in the literature by conducting a between-subjects experiment (N = 316) examining the effects of exposure to low-calorie versus high-calorie "What I Eat in A Day" food diary TikTok videos on young adults' body appreciation, body dissatisfaction, and diet intentions. Additionally, this study sought to explore how social comparison and mood might affect participants' responses to these videos. Results indicate that social comparison mediated the relationship between video type (low- vs high- calorie) and positive mood, such that low-calorie videos increased upward social comparison and decreased positive mood, and high-calorie videos increased downward social comparison and increased positive mood. Positive direct effects of positive mood on body appreciation and diet intentions occurred, and a negative direct effect on body dissatisfaction was found. Additionally, positive mood mediated the path from social comparison to diet intentions. These findings highlight the importance of further research into the nuanced impacts of food diary social media content on young adults' body image and behaviors.

Beyond individual responsibility: Exploring lay understandings of the contribution of environments on personal trajectories of obesity

INTRODUCTION

Reversing the upward trajectory of obesity requires responding by including the multiple influences on weight control. Research has focused on individual behaviours, overlooking the environments where individuals spend their lives and shape lifestyles. Thus, there is a need for lay understandings of the impact of environments as a cause and solution to obesity. This research aimed to understand the influence of environments on the adoption of health practices in adults with obesity and to identify lay strategies with which to address environmental barriers to behaviour change.

METHODS

Nineteen adults with a history of obesity living in the United Kingdom were interviewed through video conferencing between May 2020 and March 2021. Semi-structured interviews and socio-demographic questionnaires were used, and data analysed through hermeneutic phenomenology informed reflexive thematic analysis.

RESULTS

Three main themes were created: living with convenience and normalcy: the increased accessibility of unhealthy food, people interacting with digital media for positive practice change, and the need to prioritise prevention in schools, the National Health Service and the food industry.

CONCLUSIONS

The food environment was the major barrier, while interactions with social media was the most important opportunity to adopt healthy practices. The National Health Service was considered an obesogenic environment, something relevant since it has been traditionally recognised as an obesity management system. The perceptions from individuals with a history of obesity provide new suggestions on the influence of previously overlooked environments to design more adequate and effective interventions and policies that consider, more than in the past, the environments where people spend their lives.

Digging into digital buffets: A systematic review of eating-related social media content and its relationship with body image and eating behaviours

Recently, researchers have started investigating the influence of eating-focused social media content on viewers' body image and eating behaviour. The current systematic review collates the evidence for the relationship between exposure to eating-related social media content and people's body image, disordered eating, food consumption, and eating-related opinions. Following PRISMA guidelines, searches were conducted on five databases (i.e., Medline, PsycINFO, Web of Science, Scopus, and ProQuest), resulting in 38 eligible studies that examined the link between eating-related content and body image, eating behaviour and/or viewers' perceptions. Evidence showed positive relationships between exposure to certain material on social media (e.g., fast-food advertisements, clean eating, eating videos) and body image concerns, disordered eating, and consumption of, or a willingness to consume the foods seen on social media; however, studies that focused on 'healthy food' content showed no such link. Viewers expressed mixed feelings towards content such as nutrition information and mukbang videos which record hosts eating a large amount of food. Future research would benefit from a consistent measure of exposure to different eating-related content. There is also a need for more experimental research to examine the impact of watching different types of eating videos on body image, disordered eating, and food consumption.

Investigating the feasibility and acceptability of using Instagram to engage post-graduate students in a mass communication social media-based health intervention, #WeeStepsToHealth

BACKGROUND

Instagram's popularity among young adults continues to rise, and previous work has identified diffusion of unhealthy messages and misinformation throughout the platform. However, we know little about how to use Instagram to promote health messages. This study aims to assess the feasibility and acceptability of using Instagram to engage post-graduate students in a mass communication social media (SM)-based health intervention.

METHODS

A 4-week intervention targeting post-graduate students with physical activity (PA), nutrition, and general wellbeing messages was conducted via Instagram. Feasibility and acceptability were assessed using SM metrics (likes, comments, and shares), pre- and post-intervention online surveys (knowledge, attitude, and behavioural outcomes), and a focus group conducted with a sample of individuals in the target population (to assess intervention recall, feedback on message framing, and acceptability of Instagram).

RESULTS

The two independent samples captured by online surveys (pre-intervention, n = 43, post-intervention, n = 41, representing 12.3% and 11.7% of Instagram followers, respectively) were predominantly female (88.4%, 80.5%) aged 18-34 (95.4%, 95.1%). Respondents in the second survey reported higher weekly PA levels (+ 13.7%) and more frequent nutritional behaviours including consumption of five or more fruits and vegetables (+ 23.3%) and looking at nutritional labels (+ 10.3%). However, respondents in the second survey also reported less frequent meal preparation (- 18.0%) and a small increase in fast food consumption (+ 2.8% consuming fast food 3-4 days a week). A total of 247 'likes' were collected from 28 Instagram posts (mean 8.8 likes per post). Humorous posts achieved a moderately higher level of engagement than non-humorous posts (median 10 and 8 likes, respectively). Focus group participants liked the campaign content and trusted the information source.

CONCLUSIONS

Findings indicate that Instagram could be a feasible and acceptable platform for engaging post-graduate students in a SM-based mass communication health intervention, and that humour may have the potential to encourage further engagement.

Food for thought: Examining the relationship between low calorie density foods in Instagram feeds and disordered eating symptoms among undergraduate women

BACKGROUND

Ample studies have tested how viewing bodies on social media impacts eating disorder symptoms; however, the relationship between viewing food images on social media and disordered eating remains understudied. This study investigated whether viewing images of healthy, palatable food on Instagram impacted disordered eating attitudes across two samples of undergraduate women.

METHODS

This pre-registered online study was conducted at two sites. Participants identifying as female (study 1 n = 222; study 2 n = 214) were randomly assigned to view one of two Instagram feeds - either a feed featuring low calorie, aesthetically pleasing foods or a control condition featuring travel images. Participants completed state measures of disordered eating intentions, self-esteem, and body image before and after viewing the feeds.

RESULTS

A main effect of condition on disordered eating intentions was found at the Midwestern site, but not the Southeastern site.

CONCLUSIONS

Viewing healthy palatable food images on Instagram could increase risk for disordered eating behaviors among college females. If findings are replicated, individuals vulnerable to disordered eating may benefit from removing these types of feeds from their social media. Further research is needed to determine whether other forms of visual content on Instagram may be associated with disordered eating.

Social media use and binge eating: An integrative review

Despite binge eating being important to public health, no recent reviews have been conducted to produce a comprehensive synthesis of current literature on the relationship between social media use and binge eating. The aims of this review were: (1) to standardize the measurement of social media use in recent research, (2) to identify eating types that include binge-eating concepts, and (3) to identify the relationships between social media use and binge eating. This is an integrative review of studies conducted from 2016 to 2021 on binge eating and social media use. Searches were conducted in PubMed, PsycInfo, and Web of Science; eight studies were included in this integrative review. Included studies found direct or indirect effects of social media use on binge eating. The more participants use social media, the more likely they are to have increased appetite or intention to eat, which can lead to binge eating. The recent binge-eating studies indicated a significant relationship between social media use and binge eating. Interventions for binge eating should be developed with an understanding of individuals' social media use.

#FOODPORN KAVRAMI VE SOSYAL MEDYA ILE İLIŞKISI

Yemeğin, beslenme ve açlığı giderme amacı dışında imaj ve izlenim oluşturma, cinsiyet rollerini sergileme, yeni kimlikler yaratma gibi amaçları da bulunmaktadır. Paylaşım ekonomisinin aracıları olan sosyal medya platformlarında yiyecek-içecek görüntülerinin artması yemeğin anlamı dışına taşan bir forma dönüşmesine neden olmaktadır. Sosyal medyanın gıda ile olan yakın ilişkisi de bu yeni anlamlara hizmet etmekte ve gıdanın sosyal medyadaki yeni formunu güçlendirmektedir. Yiyeceklerin tedariği, üretimi, hazırlanması, sunumu ve tüketimine dair görüntülerin parlak, sanatsal ve kültürel özelliklerde sunulması, yemek yapmanın veya tüketmenin göz alıcı ve kusursuz bir görsel şölene dönüşmesi, kavramı pornografik bir seviyeye taşımıştır. Henüz Türkçe yazında ele alınmamış olan #foodporn kavramını açıklamak, ne olduğunu ortaya koymak ve beraberinde hangi akımların gıda ve sosyal medya arasındaki ilişkide rol oynadığını göstermek bu çalışmanın temel amaçlarındandır. #Foodporn kavramını açıklayan ilk Türkçe kaynak olma özelliğini taşıması ve gelecekte bu konuda yapılacak araştırmalara rehberlik etmesi bu çalışmayı önemli kılmaktadır.

Schadenfreude, malicious and benign envy are associated with low body mass index in restrictive-type anorexia nervosa

PURPOSE

According to the Cognitive-Interpersonal Maintenance Model of anorexia nervosa, social factors are involved in the maintenance and development of this disorder. Therefore, this study aimed to test whether patients with restrictive-type anorexia nervosa (AN-R) experience malicious envy (negative emotions associated with the wish that others lack their superior quality), benign envy (negative emotions associated with the desire to reach and obtain the others' superior quality) and Schadenfreude (pleasure at the misfortunes of others) with a higher intensity than healthy controls (HC).

METHODS

26 AN-R patients and 32 HC completed scenarios that aimed to induce envy and Schadenfreude and completed questionnaires measuring envy, self-esteem and social comparison.

RESULTS

AN-R patients reported more benign envy than HC. Interestingly, higher body mass index (BMI) was associated with less Schadenfreude, malicious and benign envy in AN-R only.

CONCLUSIONS

This study shows that AN-R patients present higher motivation to evolve when facing others' superior quality (i.e., benign envy). It also underlines the importance of considering social factors in the maintenance of AN-R and the role of BMI when examining emotions related to others' fortune.

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE

Level III, case-control analytic study.

Pro-veganism on Instagram

Purpose

Through two experiments, this study assessed source and message effects of Instagram-based pro-veganism messages.

Design/methodology/approach

Experiment 1 (N = 294) examined effects of organization (brand vs nonprofit) and message types (egoistic vs altruistic) on consumer responses to Instagram-based pro-veganism content. Experiment 2 (N = 288) examined effects of source type (celebrity vs noncelebrity) and message valence (positive vs negative) on consumer responses to Instagram-based pro-veganism content.

Findings

Results demonstrated significant main effects of organization type, with consumers indicating more positive attitudes and higher credibility toward the brand. Significant main effects of message type were also found, with altruistic messages eliciting higher perceived information value than egoistic messages. Subjective norms had moderating effects on attitude toward the organization, while attitude toward veganism had moderating effects on perceived information value. Results also indicated significant main effects of message valence on perceived information value of pro-veganism Instagram posts and significant interaction effects of the two manipulated factors on intention to spread electronic word-of-mouth (eWOM) about pro-veganism.

Originality/value

Implications for use of Instagram-based health marketing communication about veganism were discussed. Specifically, organizations looking to use social media to influence attitudes and behavioral intentions toward health issues should seek to reach their target audiences through selecting endorsers and messages that will optimally present the health issue in a relatable and engaging way.

Public support for health taxes and media regulation of harmful products in South Korea

BACKGROUND

Public health policy is inevitably associated with either a strong presence or lack of public support. We investigated factors associated with both the public support of and opposition to health taxes and the media regulation regarding advertising harmful products in Korea.

METHODS

We interviewed 1200 respondents that were recruited using an equal-probability sampling method in accordance with the 2016 Korean census. Our investigation examined the extent of support and opposition towards health taxes and the media regulation of advertising that targets the consumption of tobacco, alcohol, and unhealthy foods according to socioeconomic characteristics, health habits, body mass index (BMI), and exposure to the advertising of harmful products. The study was conducted using a univariate and stepwise multivariate regression analysis.

RESULTS

The majority (71.8%) of the respondents were supportive of imposing health taxes in general. Despite a high prevalence of tobacco and alcohol consumption among the respondents, they strongly supported media regulation of tobacco (72.3%), alcohol (63.7%), and eating broadcasts (51.9%) food advertising (44.0%). Those that were non-smokers, earned a high-income, were married, or had a child were likely to support at least one kind of regulation regarding alcohol and smoking related advertising. An exposure to excessive advertising of unhealthy products was associated with increase of respondents supporting the media regulation. Those who regarded the media as being influential seemed to be more supportive of health taxes or media regulation.

CONCLUSION

Our results indicated strong public support among the respondents for health taxes and the media regulation regarding the advertising of unhealthy products. Based on our data, we are optimistic that countries whose population show a high rate of tobacco, alcohol or unhealthy food consumption may launch public policy in addressing these factors.