Research Article
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Time Spent on Social Media During The COVID-19 Pandemic is Associated with A Healthy Eating Obsession and Anxiety Symptoms: A Cross-Sectional Study of 525 Adults in Semi-Quarantine

Year 2023, Volume: 14 Issue: 4 - Cumhuriyet'in 100. Yılına Armağan Sayısı, 652 - 660, 01.10.2023

Aslı Devrim Lanpir , Hatice Kübra Barcın Güzeldere

https://doi.org/10.31067/acusaglik.1239014

Abstract

Purpose: Increased social media exposure and obsession with healthy eating to minimise the risk of getting the COVID-19 may cause anxiety symptoms in individuals during the pandemic. We evaluated the interaction between social media, obsessive healthy eating and anxiety symptoms.
Methods: An online questionnaire was applied to individuals in COVID-19 semi-quarantine (n=525) using Google forms. Orthorexia and anxiety symptoms were evaluated using the ORTO-11 and Generalised Anxiety Disorder questionnaires, respectively.
Results: The time spent on social media to follow the COVID-19, health, and nutrition news was closely associated with higher orthorexic symptoms in both sexes, and higher anxiety symptoms in women (r=-0.638 in men; r=-0.560 in women, p<0.001). High rates of anxiety (62.4% in men; 95.4% in women) and an unhealthy obsession with healthy eating (67% in men, 83.2% in women) were detected in individuals in the COVID-19 pandemic.
Conclusion: While the COVID-19 pandemic causes negative effects on both eating behaviour and anxiety disorders, the use of social media to follow healthy nutrition news can also exacerbate these problems. Therefore, it is important to use social media wisely during the pandemic and to detect healthy eating obsession and anxiety symptoms earlier to prevent long-term harmful consequences.

Keywords

healthy eating obsession COVID-19 social media supplements and functional foods anxiety disorders

References

  • WHO. WHO Coronavirus (COVID-19) Dashboard. WHO Coronavirus (COVID-19) Dashboard With Vaccination Data. Who. 2021 [cited 2021 Sep 22]. p. 1–5. Available from: https://covid19.who.int/
  • COVID-19 - Yeni Koronavirüs Hastalığı. [cited 2020 May 8]. Available from: https://covid19bilgi.saglik.gov.tr/tr/
  • Torales J, O’Higgins M, Castaldelli-Maia JM, et al. The outbreak of COVID-19 coronavirus and its impact on global mental health. Int J Soc Psychiatry. 2020; 915-21. DOİ:10.1177/0020764020915212
  • Muscogiuri G, Barrea L, Savastano S, et al. Nutritional recommendations for CoVID-19 quarantine. Eur J Clin Nutr. 2020;1–2.
  • Türkiye Diyetisyenler Derneği. Covid-19 Beslenme Önerileri. Available from: http://www.tdd.org.tr/index.php/duyurular/69-covid-19-beslenme-onerileri
  • Wagner DN, Marcon AR and Caulfield T. “immune Boosting” in the time of COVID: Selling immunity on Instagram. Allergy, Asthma Clin Immunol. 2020;16(1):1–5. DOİ:10.1186/s13223-020-00474-6
  • Tsao SF, Chen H, Tisseverasinghe T, et al. What social media told us in the time of COVID-19: a scoping review. Lancet Digit. Heal. 2021;175–94. DOİ:10.1016/S2589-7500(20)30315-0
  • Turner PG and Lefevre CE. Instagram use is linked to increased symptoms of orthorexia nervosa. Eat Weight Disord. 2017;22(2):277–84.
  • World Health Organization. WHO/Europe | Nutrition - Body mass index - BMI. World Heal. Organ. 2020. Available from: https://www.euro.who.int/en/health-topics/disease-prevention/nutrition/a-healthy-lifestyle/body-mass-index-bmi
  • Donini LM, Marsili D, Graziani MP, et al. Orthorexia nervosa: A preliminary study with a proposal for diagnosis and an attempt to measure the dimension of the phenomenon. Eat Weight Disord. 2004;9(2):151–7. DOI: 10.1007/BF03325060
  • Arusoǧlu G, Kabakçi E, Köksal G, et al. Ortoreksiya nervoza ve Orto-11’in türkçeye uyarlama çalışması. Turk Psikiyatri Derg. 2008;19(3):283–91.
  • Spitzer RL, Kroenke K, Williams JBW, et al. A brief measure for assessing generalized anxiety disorder: The GAD-7. Arch Intern Med. 2006;166(10):1092–7.
  • Konkan R, Şenormanci Ö, Güçlü O, et al. Yaygın Anksiyete Bozukluğu-7 (YAB-7) Testi Türkçe Uyarlaması, Geçerlik ve Güvenirliği . Nöropsikiyatri Arşivi. 2013;50:53–8.
  • Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf. Universität Düsseldorf: G*Power. Version 3.1.9.4 Ger. 2019. Available from: https://www.psychologie.hhu.de/arbeitsgruppen/allgemeine-psychologie-und-arbeitspsychologie/gpower
  • Barcln-Güzeldere HK and Devrim-Lanpir A. The Association between Body Mass Index, Emotional Eating and Perceived Stress during COVID-19 Partial Quarantine in Healthy Adults. Public Health Nutr. 2021;1–8. DOİ: 10.1017/S1368980021002974
  • Wang C, Horby PW, Hayden FG, et al. A novel coronavirus outbreak of global health concern. Lancet;2020: 470–3.
  • Gao J, Zheng P, Jia Y, et al. Mental health problems and social media exposure during COVID-19 outbreak. Hashimoto K, ed. PLoS One; 2020;15(4):e0231924. DOİ:10.1371/journal.pone.0231924
  • Depression and Other Common Mental Disorders Global Health Estimates. 2017.
  • Puccinelli PJ, da Costa TS, Seffrin A, et al. Reduced level of physical activity during COVID-19 pandemic is associated with depression and anxiety levels: an internet-based survey. BMC Public Health. 2021;21(1):425. DOİ:10.1186/s12889-021-10470-z
  • Hyland P, Shevlin M, McBride O, et al. Anxiety and depression in the Republic of Ireland during the COVID-19 pandemic. Acta Psychiatr Scand. 2020;142(3):249–56. DOİ: 10.1111/acps.13219
  • Aslan I, Ochnik D, Çınar O. Exploring Perceived Stress among Students in Turkey during the COVID-19 Pandemic. Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2020, 17, 8961. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph17238961
  • Karagöz MA, Gül A, Borg C, et al. Influence of COVID-19 pandemic on sexuality: A cross-sectional study among couples in Turkey. Int J Impot Res. 2021; 33(8), 815-823. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41443-020-00378-4
  • Vuillier L, May L, Greville-Harris M, et al. The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on individuals with eating disorders: the role of emotion regulation and exploration of online treatment experiences. J Eat Disord. 2021;9(1). DOİ: 0.1186/s40337-020-00362-9
  • Ramalho SM, Trovisqueira A, de Lourdes M, et al. The impact of COVID-19 lockdown on disordered eating behaviors: the mediation role of psychological distress. Eat Weight Disord. 2021;1:3. DOİ:10.1007/s40519-021-01128-1
  • Phillipou A, Meyer D, Neill E, et al. Eating and exercise behaviors in eating disorders and the general population during the COVID-19 pandemic in Australia: Initial results from the COLLATE project. Int J Eat Disord. 2020;53(7):1158–65. DOİ: 10.1002/eat.23317
  • Rodgers RF, Lombardo C, Cerolini S, et al. The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on eating disorder risk and symptoms. Int J Eat Disord. 2020;53(7):1166–70. DOİ: 10.1002/eat.23318
  • Di Renzo L, Gualtieri P, Pivari F, et al. Eating habits and lifestyle changes during COVID-19 lockdown: An Italian survey. J. Transl. Med. 2020;18:229. doi: 10.1186/s12967-020-02399-5.
  • Cinelli M, de Francisci Morales G, Galeazzi A, et al. The echo chamber effect on social media. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2021;118(9). DOİ: 10.1073/pnas.2023301118
  • Al-Musharaf S. Prevalence awend predictors of emotional eating among healthy young saudi women during the COVID-19 pandemic. Nutrients. 2020;12(10):1–17. DOİ: 10.3390/nu12102923
  • Oberle CD, Dalton ·, Klare L, et al. Health beliefs, behaviors, and symptoms associated with orthorexia nervosa. Bulim Obes. 2019;24:495–506. DOİ: 10.1007/s40519-019-00657-0
  • Varga M, Thege BK, Dukay-Szabó S, et al. When eating healthy is not healthy: Orthorexia nervosa and its measurement with the ORTO-15 in Hungary. BMC Psychiatry. 2014;14(1). DOİ: 10.1186/1471-244X-14-59
  • Michos ED and Cainzos-Achirica M. Supplements for the Treatment of Mild COVID-19-Challenging Health Beliefs With Science From A to Z. JAMA Netw. Open. 2021; e210431. DOİ: 10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2021.0431
  • Cena H, Barthels F, Cuzzolaro M, et al. Definition and diagnostic criteria for orthorexia nervosa: a narrative review of the literature. Eat. Weight Disord. 2019;209–46. DOİ: 10.1007/s40519-018-0606-y

Year 2023, Volume: 14 Issue: 4 - Cumhuriyet'in 100. Yılına Armağan Sayısı, 652 - 660, 01.10.2023

Aslı Devrim Lanpir , Hatice Kübra Barcın Güzeldere

https://doi.org/10.31067/acusaglik.1239014

Abstract

References

  • WHO. WHO Coronavirus (COVID-19) Dashboard. WHO Coronavirus (COVID-19) Dashboard With Vaccination Data. Who. 2021 [cited 2021 Sep 22]. p. 1–5. Available from: https://covid19.who.int/
  • COVID-19 - Yeni Koronavirüs Hastalığı. [cited 2020 May 8]. Available from: https://covid19bilgi.saglik.gov.tr/tr/
  • Torales J, O’Higgins M, Castaldelli-Maia JM, et al. The outbreak of COVID-19 coronavirus and its impact on global mental health. Int J Soc Psychiatry. 2020; 915-21. DOİ:10.1177/0020764020915212
  • Muscogiuri G, Barrea L, Savastano S, et al. Nutritional recommendations for CoVID-19 quarantine. Eur J Clin Nutr. 2020;1–2.
  • Türkiye Diyetisyenler Derneği. Covid-19 Beslenme Önerileri. Available from: http://www.tdd.org.tr/index.php/duyurular/69-covid-19-beslenme-onerileri
  • Wagner DN, Marcon AR and Caulfield T. “immune Boosting” in the time of COVID: Selling immunity on Instagram. Allergy, Asthma Clin Immunol. 2020;16(1):1–5. DOİ:10.1186/s13223-020-00474-6
  • Tsao SF, Chen H, Tisseverasinghe T, et al. What social media told us in the time of COVID-19: a scoping review. Lancet Digit. Heal. 2021;175–94. DOİ:10.1016/S2589-7500(20)30315-0
  • Turner PG and Lefevre CE. Instagram use is linked to increased symptoms of orthorexia nervosa. Eat Weight Disord. 2017;22(2):277–84.
  • World Health Organization. WHO/Europe | Nutrition - Body mass index - BMI. World Heal. Organ. 2020. Available from: https://www.euro.who.int/en/health-topics/disease-prevention/nutrition/a-healthy-lifestyle/body-mass-index-bmi
  • Donini LM, Marsili D, Graziani MP, et al. Orthorexia nervosa: A preliminary study with a proposal for diagnosis and an attempt to measure the dimension of the phenomenon. Eat Weight Disord. 2004;9(2):151–7. DOI: 10.1007/BF03325060
  • Arusoǧlu G, Kabakçi E, Köksal G, et al. Ortoreksiya nervoza ve Orto-11’in türkçeye uyarlama çalışması. Turk Psikiyatri Derg. 2008;19(3):283–91.
  • Spitzer RL, Kroenke K, Williams JBW, et al. A brief measure for assessing generalized anxiety disorder: The GAD-7. Arch Intern Med. 2006;166(10):1092–7.
  • Konkan R, Şenormanci Ö, Güçlü O, et al. Yaygın Anksiyete Bozukluğu-7 (YAB-7) Testi Türkçe Uyarlaması, Geçerlik ve Güvenirliği . Nöropsikiyatri Arşivi. 2013;50:53–8.
  • Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf. Universität Düsseldorf: G*Power. Version 3.1.9.4 Ger. 2019. Available from: https://www.psychologie.hhu.de/arbeitsgruppen/allgemeine-psychologie-und-arbeitspsychologie/gpower
  • Barcln-Güzeldere HK and Devrim-Lanpir A. The Association between Body Mass Index, Emotional Eating and Perceived Stress during COVID-19 Partial Quarantine in Healthy Adults. Public Health Nutr. 2021;1–8. DOİ: 10.1017/S1368980021002974
  • Wang C, Horby PW, Hayden FG, et al. A novel coronavirus outbreak of global health concern. Lancet;2020: 470–3.
  • Gao J, Zheng P, Jia Y, et al. Mental health problems and social media exposure during COVID-19 outbreak. Hashimoto K, ed. PLoS One; 2020;15(4):e0231924. DOİ:10.1371/journal.pone.0231924
  • Depression and Other Common Mental Disorders Global Health Estimates. 2017.
  • Puccinelli PJ, da Costa TS, Seffrin A, et al. Reduced level of physical activity during COVID-19 pandemic is associated with depression and anxiety levels: an internet-based survey. BMC Public Health. 2021;21(1):425. DOİ:10.1186/s12889-021-10470-z
  • Hyland P, Shevlin M, McBride O, et al. Anxiety and depression in the Republic of Ireland during the COVID-19 pandemic. Acta Psychiatr Scand. 2020;142(3):249–56. DOİ: 10.1111/acps.13219
  • Aslan I, Ochnik D, Çınar O. Exploring Perceived Stress among Students in Turkey during the COVID-19 Pandemic. Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2020, 17, 8961. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph17238961
  • Karagöz MA, Gül A, Borg C, et al. Influence of COVID-19 pandemic on sexuality: A cross-sectional study among couples in Turkey. Int J Impot Res. 2021; 33(8), 815-823. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41443-020-00378-4
  • Vuillier L, May L, Greville-Harris M, et al. The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on individuals with eating disorders: the role of emotion regulation and exploration of online treatment experiences. J Eat Disord. 2021;9(1). DOİ: 0.1186/s40337-020-00362-9
  • Ramalho SM, Trovisqueira A, de Lourdes M, et al. The impact of COVID-19 lockdown on disordered eating behaviors: the mediation role of psychological distress. Eat Weight Disord. 2021;1:3. DOİ:10.1007/s40519-021-01128-1
  • Phillipou A, Meyer D, Neill E, et al. Eating and exercise behaviors in eating disorders and the general population during the COVID-19 pandemic in Australia: Initial results from the COLLATE project. Int J Eat Disord. 2020;53(7):1158–65. DOİ: 10.1002/eat.23317
  • Rodgers RF, Lombardo C, Cerolini S, et al. The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on eating disorder risk and symptoms. Int J Eat Disord. 2020;53(7):1166–70. DOİ: 10.1002/eat.23318
  • Di Renzo L, Gualtieri P, Pivari F, et al. Eating habits and lifestyle changes during COVID-19 lockdown: An Italian survey. J. Transl. Med. 2020;18:229. doi: 10.1186/s12967-020-02399-5.
  • Cinelli M, de Francisci Morales G, Galeazzi A, et al. The echo chamber effect on social media. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2021;118(9). DOİ: 10.1073/pnas.2023301118
  • Al-Musharaf S. Prevalence awend predictors of emotional eating among healthy young saudi women during the COVID-19 pandemic. Nutrients. 2020;12(10):1–17. DOİ: 10.3390/nu12102923
  • Oberle CD, Dalton ·, Klare L, et al. Health beliefs, behaviors, and symptoms associated with orthorexia nervosa. Bulim Obes. 2019;24:495–506. DOİ: 10.1007/s40519-019-00657-0
  • Varga M, Thege BK, Dukay-Szabó S, et al. When eating healthy is not healthy: Orthorexia nervosa and its measurement with the ORTO-15 in Hungary. BMC Psychiatry. 2014;14(1). DOİ: 10.1186/1471-244X-14-59
  • Michos ED and Cainzos-Achirica M. Supplements for the Treatment of Mild COVID-19-Challenging Health Beliefs With Science From A to Z. JAMA Netw. Open. 2021; e210431. DOİ: 10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2021.0431
  • Cena H, Barthels F, Cuzzolaro M, et al. Definition and diagnostic criteria for orthorexia nervosa: a narrative review of the literature. Eat. Weight Disord. 2019;209–46. DOİ: 10.1007/s40519-018-0606-y
There are 33 citations in total.

Details

Primary Language English
Subjects Nutrition and Dietetics
Journal Section Research Article
Authors

Aslı Devrim Lanpir 0000-0002-4267-9950

Hatice Kübra Barcın Güzeldere 0000-0003-0217-0938

Early Pub Date September 4, 2023
Publication Date October 1, 2023
Submission Date January 18, 2023
Published in Issue Year 2023Volume: 14 Issue: 4 - Cumhuriyet'in 100. Yılına Armağan Sayısı

Cite

EndNote Devrim Lanpir A, Barcın Güzeldere HK (October 1, 2023) Time Spent on Social Media During The COVID-19 Pandemic is Associated with A Healthy Eating Obsession and Anxiety Symptoms: A Cross-Sectional Study of 525 Adults in Semi-Quarantine. Acıbadem Üniversitesi Sağlık Bilimleri Dergisi 14 4 652–660.
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