Social networks use and risk factors for the development of eating disorders: A systematic review

Objective: Review the available scientific literature on the relationship between the use of social networks and risk factors for the development of eating disorders, such as low self-esteem, body dissatisfaction and/or idealization of thinness, in the Spanish population.Design: A systematic review of scientific literature published between 2010 and 2022 was carried out. Data sources: PubMed, Scopus and Web of Science. Selection of studies: Only original articles were included, published in Spanish or English, that measured at least one variable of use of social networks and at least one risk factor for eating disorders in the Spanish population. Data extraction: The PRISMA 2009 statement was used as a guide. The quality of selected articles was assessed using the Joanna Briggs Institute Critical Appraisal Checklist.Results: Twelve cross-sectional studies that met the inclusion criteria were identified. Evidence suggests that the use and frequency of use of social networks is significantly associated with body dissatisfaction (p & LE; 0,01), drive for thinness (p & LE; 0,001), and low self-esteem (p & LE; 0,05) in adolescents and young adults in the Spanish population.Conclusions: Users of social networks, mainly those based on images, are exposed to factors that could increase their risk of developing an eating disorder.& COPY; 2023 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Espana, S.L.U. This is an open access article under the CC BY-NC-ND license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/).