The association between social media use and attitudes toward nutrition among university students in Saudi Arabia

BACKGROUND: The increasing consumption of social media among students has caused concerns about its influence on nutrition-related attitudes and behaviors. Research suggests that exposure to food trends, diet culture, and health influencers on platforms, like Instagram and Facebook, can shape students’ perceptions of nutrition. This study examines the relationship between social media use and dietary attitudes, exploring its potential impact on eating habits and nutritional choices. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Study design was a cross-sectional and data collection was done from a public sector university; a stratified sample technique was used to recruit a sample size of 509. Validated and organized questionnaires were used. Correlation and regression analyses were used to examine the relationship between social media engagement and attitudes toward nutrition. RESULTS: Study result revealed that higher social media use was significantly associated with increased odds of disordered eating behaviors, with those using social media for 1–3 h/day having an adjusted odd ratio (AOR) of 2.31 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.02–11.36; P = 0.004) and those using it for more than 3 h/day showing an AOR of 5.31 (95% CI: 1.00–28.13; P = 0.050). Married individuals have an AOR of 5.76 (95% CI: 1.68–19.77; P = 0.005) for developing eating disorders. CONCLUSION: The study highlights a substantial association between high social media use and disordered eating behaviors, with prolonged engagement (more than 3 h/day) contributing to increased risk. Marital status emerged as an important predictor. This result emphasizes the need for further research to explore the effect of social media and other sociodemographic factors on eating behaviors, particularly in the context of prevention and intervention strategies.