Sex differences in social network addiction and emotional eating among adolescents in a Peruvian region: a cross-sectional analysis
Author(s)
Jacksaint Saintila
Miguel Basauri-Delgado
Sandra P. Carranza-Cubas
Susan M. Oblitas-Guerrero
Date Issued
25 de octubre de 2024
Type
Article
Volume
12
Issue
1
Start Page
168
End Page
168
Abstract
Maladaptive eating behaviors are becoming increasingly prevalent among adolescents, and their relationship to exposure to media messages has been extensively examined. However, more specifically, the influence of social networks on emotional eating (EmE) has received relatively less attention in the Peruvian context. To determine the association between social network addiction (SNA) and EmE among Peruvian adolescents, considering sex differences. A cross-sectional study was conducted. A total of 878 adolescents were considered. The Social Network Addiction Questionnaire and the Emotional Eating Questionnaire were administered. Similarly, sociodemographic data were collected. To explore the association between SNA and EmE, we performed Poisson regression analyses with robust variance. We considered a p-value of equal to or less than 0.05 as statistically significant. Adolescents with an EmE score greater than 5 had significantly higher SNA scores, averaging 24.7 (± 12.3), compared to 15.5 (± 10.3) in those with an EmE score between 0 and 5 (p < 0.001). In multiple regression analyses, men with moderate/severe SNA were 1.77 times more likely to have EmE compared to those without SNA (95% CI 1.45–2.15; p < 0.001), while in women, moderate/severe SNA was associated with a 1.98 times higher likelihood of EmE (95% CI 1.61–2.45; p < 0.001). These findings highlight the need for public health interventions to educate adolescents about the use of social networks to minimize the negative effects of prolonged exposure on eating habits. Many teenagers are developing unhealthy eating habits, and researchers have studied how media influences this. However, the effect of social media on emotional eating (eating in response to emotions) in Peru has received less attention. This study explored the link between social media addiction and emotional eating among Peruvian teenagers, focusing on differences between boys and girls. We studied 878 teenagers using two questionnaires: one about social media addiction and one about emotional eating. We also collected basic background information. A statistical analysis called Poisson regression was used to see how likely emotional eating is in teenagers with high social media use. Results showed that teenagers with higher emotional eating scores also had higher social media addiction scores. Boys with moderate or severe social media addiction were 1.77 times more likely to have emotional eating behaviors, while girls were 1.98 times more likely. These results highlight the need for programs to teach teenagers about the healthy use of social media to reduce its negative impact on eating habits.
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