COVID-19-Related Distress, Body Image, and Eating Behaviors: A Cross-sectional Explanatory Model (original) (raw)
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The undergraduate journal of public health at the University of Michigan, 2022
The coronavirus pandemic resulted in wholly unprecedented shifts in daily life and routine. This included more individuals working from home, utilizing video chatting software daily, and increased social media usage (SMU) during lockdowns. SMU has consistently been shown to increase during crises. Social media and video chat usage are on the rise, but many do not acknowledge the negative impacts of high usage. However, high SMU has been associated with negative body image perception and reduced self-confidence. It has also been associated with the development of other disordered behaviors and conditions such as eating disorders and anxiety. Through a comprehensive literature review of recently published studies, there appears to be a strong association between young adults who increased their SMU during the pandemic and suffered from a negative body image perception and reduced self-confidence. As an example, adding more body-positive programming aimed at improving body image perceptions and self-confidence will likely contribute to a reduced chance of developing associated behaviors. Furthermore, mitigation strategies such as mindfulness, cognitive reappraisal, and dialectical thinking should be encouraged and widely accessible in the United States regardless of insurance coverage. However, further research will be needed to determine if these effects will persist post-pandemic and which mitigation strategies are most effective.
The impact of Facebook use on self-reported eating disorders during the COVID-19 lockdown
BMC Psychiatry, 2021
Background The social isolation due to the COVID-19-related lockdown has had an impact on social media consumption around the world. This study examines the relationship between fear of COVID-19, Facebook use and disordered eating. Methods Structural Equation Modeling was used to analyse two-wave survey data (T0: Italian first lockdown; T1: after two months) during the pandemic. Young adults with self-reported dysfunctional eating behaviors ( N = 115; 91.3% females; mean age = 28.60 ± 7.31) were recruited to complete an online survey at T0; 66 participants (92.4% females; mean age = 28.85 ± 7.85) completed the survey at T1. They were assessed on Facebook use, dysfunctional eating cognitions, and fear of COVID-19. Results Participants’ disordered eating cognitions increased during the pandemic. At T0, higher fear of COVID-19 was positively associated to time spent on Facebook, which in turn predicted disordered eating cognitions at T1. Moreover, maladaptive Facebook use mediated the...
2021
Background: The social isolation due to the COVID-19-related lockdown has had an impact on social media consumption around the world. This study examines the relationship between fear of COVID-19, maladaptive Facebook use and disordered eating. Methods: Structural Equation Modeling was used to analyse two-wave survey data (T0: Italian first lockdown; T1: after two months) from 115 Italian subjects (91.3% females; mean age = 28.60 ± 7.31) with self-reported dysfunctional eating behaviors. Participants were assessed on Facebook use, dysfunctional eating cognitions, and fear of COVID-19. Results: Participants’ disordered eating cognitions increased during the pandemic. At T0, higher fear of COVID-19 was positively associated to time spent on Facebook, which in turn predicted disordered eating cognitions at T1. Moreover, maladaptive Facebook use mediated the relationship between daily time on Facebook and Shape concerns.Conclusions: The findings of this study suggest an influence of dys...
Highly-visual social media (HVSM), such as Instagram and Snapchat, have experienced a significant increase in popularity among adolescents in recent years. Findings indicate use of social media is related to body image concerns and poorer mental health in adolescence. However, previous research on HVSM is scant and mainly focus on female samples. In this view, the present study investigated the association between time spent on HVSM, body image concerns and internalizing symptoms, in sample of adolescents attending grades 6e11 in Northern Italy. Data for this study were based on 523 students, 54.2% female; Mean age (SD) ¼ 14.82 (1.52). Multiple linear regression was used to examine the associations between time spent using social media, body image concerns, and internalizing symptoms. Overall, students reporting using Facebook and HVSM for more than 2 h were 7.1% and 28.9% of the sample. Students reporting frequent use of HVSM (>2 h/day) reported significantly higher body image concerns and internalizing symptoms than peers reporting no use of HVSM. Further, we found the positive link between use of HVSM and internalizing symptoms to be mediated by participants' body image concerns problems. These findings suggest that adolescents reporting high use of HVSM might be at risk for increased body image concerns, which in turn might lead to poorer psychological adjustment.
A preliminary study of body image and depression among adults during COVID-19: A moderation model
Archives of Psychiatric Nursing, 2022
Background: Since many aspects of functioning can affect body image, the aim of our study was to assess whether the relationship between body image-related negative emotions or depression and body dissatisfaction was moderated by body image-related quality of life and to compare these analyses among participants with various body mass index during COVID-19. Subjects and methods: One hundred and thirty-one adults participated in the study. Measurement tools included the Body Image Quality of Life Inventory, the short form of the Situational Inventory of Body-Image Dysphoria, the Beck Depression Inventory-II and the Contour Drawing Scale. Results: The effects of body image-related negative emotions or depression on body dissatisfaction is moderated by body image-related quality of life, but only among obese participants. Conclusion: Treatment of obese patients should focus on improving quality of life related to body image, while managing negative emotions and body dissatisfaction.
Aimed: This study protocol seeks to understand the self-image perceptions of Brazilian university students before and during the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods: CAAE: 47770421.3.0000.5662, the study will employ an electronic form distributed on social media platforms, designed with a semi-structured questionnaire, aiming to delve into the pandemic's impacts on university students, exploring mental, social, emotional, and physical aspects as well as their overall quality of life. Conducted via the Google Forms Platform, the questionnaire will be accessible online. Participants will first encounter a Term of Free and Informed Consent. Completed forms and responses will be stored on a secure database, protected by a unique URL and password. Protocol: Tables will portray the characteristics of the investigated population, subjective perceptions of body image, perception of health status, physical fitness and physical and leisure activities, comparing the pre-pandemic period and during COVID-19. Correlations will also
JMIR Mental Health, 2021
Background A growing body of evidence is suggesting a significant association between the COVID-19 pandemic and population-level mental health. Study findings suggest that individuals with a lifetime history of disordered eating behavior may be negatively affected by COVID-19–related anxiety, and prevention measures may disrupt daily functioning and limit access to treatment. However, data describing the influence of the COVID-19 pandemic on disordered eating behaviors are limited, and most findings focus on individuals in treatment settings. Objective The aim of this study is to characterize the experiences of Reddit users worldwide who post in eating disorder (ED)–related discussion forums describing the influence of the COVID-19 pandemic on their overall mental health and disordered eating behavior. Methods Data were collected from popular subreddits acknowledging EDs as their primary discussion topic. Unique discussion posts dated from January 1 to May 31, 2020 that referenced t...
Eating disorders on rise in the Pandemic: Is Covid-19 Pandemic going to be a new cause
Student Research Committee, St. Andrew's College, Mumbai, 2022
In 2019, the world was pushed into a pandemic due to covid-19, which resulted in worldwide lockdown and being quarantined at home with no social contact. This gave rise to the issues of emotional and mental well-being of the individuals. New research on the eating habits and those suffering from eating disorders suggest that the pandemic had negatively impacted them. The virtual therapy sessions have also not helped them with their issue or disorder. While on the other hand, distorted eating habits were observed among the individuals in the pandemic. Distorted body image issues, drastic change in eating and sleeping patterns, anxiety, depression and constant negative self perception has been observed. This paper focuses on why did the pandemic worsen the issue of the ED individuals and how the new post pandemic body talk has impacted the individuals.
Psychological Reports, 2021
Background The COVID-19 pandemic poses a challenge to individuals' mental health. People worldwide are experiencing increased stress, negative affect, and posttraumatic stress symptoms, which may lead to eating problems. The purpose of this study was to explore the impact of the perceived severity of COVID-19 on eating problems and the mediating effects of stress/negative affect/posttraumatic stress symptoms both at the personal level and interpersonal level. Methods: During the COVID-19 outbreak, a total of 108 college students were recruited to report their perceived severity of COVID-19, stress, negative affect, posttraumatic stress symptoms, and eating problems three times a day for seven consecutive days using Ecological Momentary Assessment. Results: State perceived severity of COVID-19 predicted fewer subsequent eating problems in daily life at the personal level. Both state negative affect and posttraumatic stress symptoms were positively associated with eating problems ...
COVID-19’s Impact on Eating Disorder and Mental Health Concerns in Patients with Eating Disorders
Research Square (Research Square), 2021
Background The Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic dramatically transformed daily life for adolescents and young adults, altering social and physical environments. Previous research has shown such shifts in daily life to be especially challenging for people living with eating disorders (ED). However, the extent of this environmental change on ED symptoms and mental health (MH) has been relatively unexplored in patients with EDs. This study examines the implications of the COVID-19 pandemic on ED and MH symptoms and motivation for ED recovery in adolescents/young adults. Methods Participants were enrollees in the Registry of Eating Disorders and their Co-morbidities OVER time in Youth (RECOVERY) who responded to an additional survey (n = 89) in July 2020 to assess the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. Participants reported concerns of their ED worsening due to living in a "triggering environment" due to the pandemic as well as COVID-related changes in intrusive ED thoughts, depression, anxiety, isolation, and motivation to recover. Logistic regression models, adjusted for age and ED diagnosis, examined the association of triggering environment with MH and ED symptoms. Results The majority of respondents reported concern for "triggering environment" (63%), as well as increased ED thoughts (74%) and feelings of anxiety (77%), depression (73%), and isolation (80%) in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Nearly one-third reported decrease in motivation to recover (29%). After adjusting for age and ED diagnosis, participants who reported triggering environment had nearly 18 times the odds of decreased motivation to recover (OR 18.1; 95% CI 3.37-97.4, p = 0.003) and nearly 24 times the odds of increased ED thoughts (OR 23.8; 95% CI 4.31-131.6, p < 0.001) compared to those who did not report a triggering environment. Conclusions Our ndings demonstrate the negative impact the COVID-19 pandemic has had on the self-reported MH and ED symptoms in patients with EDs, particularly in those who report concern for a negative environmental change. These results underscore the need for heightened monitoring of patients with EDs during the pandemic.