Associations between Facebook Use and Disordered Eating in College Women

Introduction. Approximately 11-20% of college women in America are within the clinical range for disordered eating. College women are also vulnerable to engaging in fat talk. Today’s college students spend much of their time on social media networks such as Facebook. The present study examined associations between Facebook activity, disordered eating, and fat talk online. Method. College-aged women (N=117) completed an online survey assessing disordered eating,depression, anxiety, perfectionism, impulsivity, self-efficacy, physical appearance comparison, Facebook intensity, and fat talk behaviors online. Results. Depression and anxiety were significant predictors of disordered eating (β=.37, p