| Abstract [eng] |
Background. Social media has become an inseparable part of young people‘s daily lives and may influence their physical activity, dietary habits, and mental health. Despite the growing scientific interest in this topic, there is still a lack of studies in Lithuania assessing the associations between social media use and young people‘s health. The aim of research work – to evaluate the impact of social media on young people‘s health by determining the associations between usage duration, viewed content, physical activity, dietary habits, and mental health. Tasks of work: 1) To determine the duration of social media use and the type of viewed content among young adults. 2) To identify the associations between social media use duration, content, and physical activity among young adults. 3) To identify the associations between social media use duration, content, and dietary habits among young adults. 4) To identify the associations between social media use duration, content, and mental health among young adults. Materials and methods. A quantitative online survey study was conducted using an anonymous questionnaire. The study included 388 young adults aged 18-29 years. Data were collected using an author-developed questions, the Godin Leisure-Time Exercise Questionnaire (GLTEQ), and the DASS- 12 scale. Data analysis was performed using descriptive statistics and Pearson’s chi-square (𝜒 2) test, with statistical significance set at p < 0,05. Results. Social media is an inseparable part of a young person‘s daily life. 62.4% of young people use them for 3-4 hours per day, and the most popular platforms are “Facebook / Messenger” (85.3%), “Instagram” (69.6%), and “TikTok” (43.0%). It was established that for physical activity, the nature of the content is more significant than the total duration of use. 71.6% of young people reported becoming more physically active due to observing sports-related content. In the group that observed healthy nutrition posts, as many as 84.7% of individuals changed their habits, compared to 15.3% of those who did not see such content. Mental health indicators are statistically significantly related to the duration of social media use. Young people browsing for ≥ 5 hours / day more frequently exhibited symptoms of moderate to severe depression, anxiety, amd stress (p < 0.05). A statistically significant association was found between frequent self-comparison with others (57.7%) and perceived pressure to meet standards and poorer emotional well-being (p < 0.001). Conclusions: 1) Social media use (on average 3-4 hours per day) is a constant part of young people’s daily lives, and the most popular platforms (“Facebook”, “Instagram”, “TikTok”) perform the function of a primary source of information on lifestyle. 2) The nature of social media content has a direct link to the physical activity of young people. Observation of content related to physical activity correlates with higher motivation to exercise and a higher level of physical activity. 3) Social media content is a significant factor in shaping dietary behavior. Observation of content related to healthy nutrition, a balanced lifestyle, or food preparation, as well as images of non-nutritious food, desserts, and snacks, are associated with changes in dietary habits. These habits are more frequently changed by young individuals who spend a medium amount of time on social networks and use them during meals. 4) Long duration of use (5 hours or more), frequent comparison of oneself with others, and pressure to meet standarts formed on social networks correlate with higher prevalence of depression, anxiety, and stress symptoms. |
