The relationship between social media and teens' eating habits

Abstract

Is there a relationship between social media and teens’ eating habits? The goal for this research is to help teens be able to discern reality from fake on social media and stay safe from harmful eating habits that can be promoted by social media. Methods for this research include writing down my own questions and then searching for reputable articles and studies based on my questions. It is arguable that social media impacts our decisions and social norms whether it be for a teenager or an adult. Magner (2018) discussed the shift in the way kids socialize because of social media. Is this all bad? that is what I will be delving into in my research. So, it is clear that social media is impacting the upcoming generation and their eating habits. Many social media posts contain fancy filters and have been edited to make someone look more desirable; this results in younger people with brains that are not fully developed disliking the way they look. If a teenager is in this situation and does not like their body because of how social media makes them perceive themselves, then it can force them into doing extreme things with their diet such as cutting calories to harmfully low levels. Sometimes even developing eating disorders that can cause deficiencies in their diet that may be irreversible.