Study links fitness apps to disordered eating and obsessive behaviour
ABCYoung adults who use diet and fitness apps regularly are more likely to develop negative habits related to food, exercise and body image, Flinders University researchers have found. PhD candidate in clinical psychology, Isabella Anderberg, said while the mobile apps could benefit people by prompting them to exercise, their focus on dietary restriction and weight loss could lead to excessive behaviours — particularly for those with pre-existing concerns about their body image. "We found that young adults who use diet and fitness apps have greater disordered eating symptoms, such as harmful or restrictive diets, and have negative thoughts about body image when compared to those that don't use them," she said. Ms Anderberg said it was possible that the social media "reward aspect", where people posted their exercise efforts on social media for "likes", could also drive excessive behaviour. She said warnings on the apps could be of benefit to some people, such as those with a "pre-existing body-image or eating concern".
History of this topic
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