Exploration of excessive social media use with loneliness among U.S. College students

<b>Objective</b>: This study explored the association between excessive social media use (ESMU; i.e., ≥2 h per day) and loneliness among U.S. college students. <b>Participants:</b> There were 64,988 U.S. undergraduate college students ages 18-24 years in this study. <b>Methods</b>: A secondary analysis of the 2022-2023 American College Health Association's National College Health Assessment data was performed. Adjusted logistic regression analyses were conducted. <b>Results</b>: About 13% of students reported using social media platforms for ≥16 h per week. Adjusted model results found that college students with ESMU had increased odds of reporting loneliness compared to students with 0 h per week of social media. <b>Conclusion</b>: College students with ESMU are at increased odds of experiencing loneliness. Programs and interventions targeting ESMU may contribute to improved loneliness among students.