Association of Social Media Addiction, Weight Perception, and Lifestyle in Mexican Nursing Students

• Published in: Social sciences (Basel) 2024-12, Vol.13 (12), p.673
• Main Authors: Patiño-Jaimes, Vanessa, Giraldo-Suarez, María Camila, Mendoza-Catalán, Geu S., Angel-Garcia, Julieta, Estrada-Luna, Diego, Jiménez-Osorio, Angélica Saraí
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Addictions; Addictive behaviors; Alcohol; Body image; Body weight; Chronic illnesses; College students; Communication; Correlation analysis; Data collection; Diabetes; Drug use; Eating behavior; Exercise; Graduate students; Health behavior; healthy lifestyle; lifestyle; Lifestyles; Mass media; Nurses; Nursing education; nursing students; Nutrition research; online social networking; Overweight; Perceptions; Questionnaires; Regression analysis; Sleep; Social interaction; Social media; social media addiction; Social networks; Stress; Undergraduate students; University students; Weight control; Womens health
• ISSN: 2076-0760; 2076-0760
• DOI: 10.3390/socsci13120673

In recent years, there has been a reported significative increase in social media addiction (SMA), associated with unhealthy lifestyle habits. To analyze the association between SMA, lifestyle, and weight perception among Mexican nursing students, a cross-sectional, correlational study was conducted among undergraduate and graduate students over 18 years old. The survey was administered via Google Forms and distributed through Facebook, WhatsApp, and Instagram from June to August 2023. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, correlation analysis, and a multiple linear regression model with SPSS. A total of 255 students participated, 80.0% of whom were women, and 86.2% were undergraduate students. The average social media addiction score was 25.6 (SD = 14.0). Of the participants, 49.8% reported a dangerous-to-fair lifestyle, while 50.2% reported a good-to-excellent lifestyle. Social media addiction was negatively correlated with lifestyle (rs = −0.496, p < 0.001). In the multiple linear regression model, social media addiction, perception of body weight, and students who work explained 32.5% of the lifestyle variance. Students who reported higher levels of social media addiction tended to have less healthy lifestyles. It is important to consider the detection of social media addiction and its potential long-term health implications for nursing students.