Snapchat, Instagram feed kids’ unhealthy body ideals: Adelaide researchers might have a solution

If your daughter is on Snapchat, she is more likely to skip meals, while girls who use Instagram are liable to suffer from body image problems, groundbreaking new Adelaide research has shown.

The more time girls spend on Instagram, the greater their likelihood of having eating disorder thoughts and behaviours. iStock image

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Girls who use Snapchat are more likely to skip meals, follow strict exercise and eating plans and place higher levels of importance on their appearance than those without the platform, Adelaide researchers have found.

And the more time girls spend on Instagram, the greater their likelihood of having eating disorder thoughts and behaviours.

While for boys, Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat and Tumblr have each been linked to an increased likelihood of skipping meals.

But it is hoped an online program developed by the Flinders University researchers to reduce the risk of eating disorders in young women will also become a useful tool for kids and schools.

Senior researcher and clinician Simon Wilksch, who specialises in eating disorders, said a tailored version of the Media Smart program will now be trialled with a younger, more diverse cohort.

“A clear link was found between each social media platform measured and eating disorder thoughts and behaviours in both girls and boys,” Dr Wilksch said.

“For both girls and boys, the more social media accounts they had, the higher their level of eating disorder thoughts and behaviours.”

Dr Wilksch said the initial Media Smart program had been linked to “striking results” in women aged 18 to 25.

“(It) reduced eating disorder onset by 66 per cent (in those not showing symptoms at the start of the study) and increased eating disorder remission by 75 per cent for those with symptoms at the start of the study, compared to controls who did not receive a program,” he said.

“Further, program participants were 91 per cent less likely than controls to develop depressive symptoms and half as likely to develop suicidal thoughts, by 12-month follow-up”. Improvements in quality of life, feelings of ineffectiveness, and pressure from the media, were also observed.

“Eating disorders convey enormous suffering to the individual and their loved ones (and) have the highest risk of mortality of all psychiatric illnesses,” Dr Wilksch said.

“The finding that Media Smart can help people both not yet experiencing an eating disorder and those who are is a first and it is exciting.”

The new I am Media Smart trial, which launched on Wednesday, is open to 13 to 25 year-olds of any gender Australia-wide and funded by Rotary Mental Health.

To register, email [e-mail].