Social networks, body perception, and nutrition quality in nursing students

Abstract

Objective: To evaluate the interaction between social media use, body perception, and diet quality in nursing students.

Materials and methods: This analytical and cross-sectional study selected 110 nursing students, calculated from a population of 154, with a 95% confidence interval and a 5% margin of error. Body mass index (BMI) was assessed using anthropometric techniques, and validated instruments were used to measure diet quality (DQI) and social media addiction (SNA). A body perception questionnaire was also included. Ethical principles were followed, and informed consent was obtained. Statistical analysis was performed using SPSS v.27, using chi-square tests and Spearman's correlation with a p < 0.05. Results: The average BMI was 24.45 kg/m², but the students perceived a lower BMI (22.65 kg/m²), indicating body underestimation. 82.7% reported a diet that required changes. WhatsApp (99.1%) and TikTok (76.4%) were the most frequently used social media platforms. The actual daily average usage was 3.74 hours. 55.5% showed a moderate level of social media addiction. No significant relationship was found between diet quality and addiction index (p=0.63; Rho=-0.04).

Conclusions: No significant relationship was found between social media use and dietary quality; habits depend on multiple factors. It is suggested to leverage social media for effective nutritional education.

Keywords: Healthy eating; Social media; Body perception.