Social Media Disorder, Mental Health, and Physical Activity

Background: Problematic social media use has been associated with effects on mental health, such as greater appearance-related anxiety, which may lead to reduced engagement in physical activity. However, the directions, magnitudes, and mechanisms of the relationships that link social media disorder (SMD), appearance-related anxiety, depressive symptoms, and physical activity remain unclear. This study explored these associations in relation to physical activity and body weight in healthy adults, considering the potential mediating roles of SMD and appearance-related anxiety. Methods: Healthy adults completed self-report measures assessing their phone screen time, SMD, appearance-related anxiety (AAI), depressive symptoms, commitment to physical activity (CPAS), physical activity (PA), and body mass index (BMI). We tested the associations among these variables using regression-based models. Results: Higher levels of SMD mediated the association between greater phone use and higher levels of appearance-related anxiety, as well as depressive symptoms. A higher BMI and higher levels of camouflaging anxiety were both associated with lower CPAS, which was associated with lower levels of moderate PA. Structural equation modelling revealed that these associations remained significant when adjusting for each variable. Conclusions: Overall, the findings of this study support the existence of a network of interconnected relationships between maladaptive social media use, mental health, physical activity, and weight-related outcomes.