Caroline H. Armknecht, Elizabeth J. Eardley, Corrin I. Ferrizzi, Nadya Goldstein
In this study, we explored if a specific sport and social media platform correlated to higher rates of disordered eating among collegiate athletes. Athletes are under high pressure from external factors to perform, being more likely to develop eating disorders. Additionally, there are societal pressures showing unrealistic and unhealthy body images, causing athletes to have disordered eating. Most college-aged athletes today are on some form of social media platform, constantly viewing idealized body images. With social media usage significantly increasing in the past 10 years, higher rates of disordered eating among adolescents have been linked to increased social media use. Through combining athletics and social media, we hypothesized as athletes spent more time on social media, their rates of disordered eating increased. This research seeks to link the extended use of social media to disordered eating among collegiate athletes to potentially allow for preventative educational measures to be taken.
Was it more prevalent to see eating disorders with females when compared to male athletes?
This is really thought provoking as to how pressured the athletic field is
This was really intriguing for me being a college athlete, and I wonder if social media could have a positive influence rather than thinking it is immediately a negative one?