Body dissatisfaction, neuroticism, and female sex as predictors of calorie-tracking app use amongst college students

Martin, Kimberly Embacher; McGloin, Rory; Atkin, David

doi:10.1080/07448481.2018.1431905

Cited by 18 publications

(21 citation statements)

References 31 publications

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“…In summary, there is a small body of literature that has reported associations between food intake and activity monitoring tool use with body dissatisfaction and eating disorder symptoms (e.g., Embacher et al, 2018;Simpson & Mazzeo, 2017). However, this has yet to be extended to explore links with compulsive exercise cognitions or psychological wellbeing more broadly; disturbances which commonly occur alongside eating disorder symptoms.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Monitoring eating and activity: Links with disordered eating, compulsive exercise, and general wellbeing among young adults

Plateau

Bone

Lanning

et al. 2018

Intl J Eating Disorders

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Objective To explore the relationships between the use of food intake and activity monitoring tools with compulsive exercise, eating psychopathology, and psychological wellbeing. Method Participants (N = 352; mean age 21.90 years) indicated their use of activity and food intake monitoring tools, and completed the Compulsive Exercise Test (CET), Eating Disorders Examination Questionnaire (EDE‐Q), and the Warwick Edinburgh Mental Wellbeing Scale (WEMWBS). Results Users of monitoring tools reported significantly higher CET and EDE‐Q scores than nonusers. Positive associations were detected between the frequency of activity monitoring tool use with CET and EDE‐Q scores. Participants who reported using monitoring tools primarily to manage weight and shape reported higher levels of eating and compulsive exercise psychopathology than those who reported using tools to improve health and fitness. Discussion Features of compulsive exercise and eating psychopathology are elevated among users of food intake and activity monitoring tools; and particularly among those who report using the tools for weight and shape purposes. Longitudinal and experimental research is needed to further our understanding of these observed associations, and specifically to explore the prospective relationships between monitoring tool use, eating psychopathology, and compulsive exercise.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Monitoring eating and activity: Links with disordered eating, compulsive exercise, and general wellbeing among young adults

Plateau

Bone

Lanning

et al. 2018

Intl J Eating Disorders

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“…As with previous findings (Eikey et al, ; Eikey & Reddy, ), there was variability in whether commenters viewed engagement as facilitating or worsening psychosocial factors, such as negative feelings (e.g., “stress”), and eating disorder‐related behaviors and outcomes (e.g., restricting, weight loss). Such heterogeneity suggests moderators in the relationship between engagement with calorie‐counting and fitness‐tracking technologies, and eating disorder‐related symptomatology, which could explain the inconsistencies in previous research (Embacher Martin et al, ; Hefner et al, ; Plateau et al, ; Simpson & Mazzeo, ). A user's motivational stage of change regarding eating disorder recovery (cf.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 96%

“…Accordingly, these devices and applications have been the focus of recent research, which has been predominantly cross‐sectional in nature. While results vary, these studies generally suggest that use of these technologies—particularly fitness trackers—is positively associated with eating disorder‐related symptomatology (Embacher Martin, McGloin, & Atkin, ; Hefner et al, ; Plateau, Bone, Lanning, & Meyer, ; Simpson & Mazzeo, ).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…While results vary, these studies generally suggest that use of these technologies-particularly fitness trackers-is positively associated with eating disorder-related symptomatology (Embacher Martin, McGloin, & Atkin, 2018;Hefner et al, 2016;Plateau, Bone, Lanning, & Meyer, 2018;Simpson & Mazzeo, 2017).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…However, in relation to eating psychopathology, the previously outlined research has assessed a narrow conceptualization of engagement. Specifically, the self-report studies either assessed use dichotomously (i.e., user vs. nonuser;Embacher Martin et al, 2018;Levinson et al, 2017;Linardon & Messer, 2019;Simpson & Mazzeo, 2017;Tan et al, 2016) or assessed the frequency of use (Hefner et al, 2016;Plateau et al, 2018). The risk of such narrow assessment of engagement is that patterns of use that are particularly indicative of eating disorders might remain undetected.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Engagement with MyFitnessPal in eating disorders: Qualitative insights from online forums

McCaig

Elliott

Prnjak

et al. 2019

Intl J Eating Disorders

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Objective Using calorie‐counting and fitness‐tracking technologies is concerning in relation to eating disorders. While studies in this area typically assess one aspect of use (e.g., frequency), engagement with a device or application is more complex. Consequently, important relationships between the use of these technologies and the eating disorder symptomatology might remain undetected. The current study therefore used comments from online eating disorder‐related forums to generate comprehensive qualitative insights into engagement with a popular calorie‐counting and fitness‐tracking application, MyFitnessPal. Method First, we extracted every comment mentioning MyFitnessPal made on three eating disorder‐related forums between May 2015 and January 2018 (1,695 comments from 920 commenters). Then, we conducted an inductive thematic analysis using these comments to identify important aspects of engagement with MyFitnessPal. Results The analyses resulted in three themes: Preventing misuse, describing ways in which MyFitnessPal attempts to prevent pathological use and actions taken by users to circumvent its interventions; Accuracy, outlining distrust of MyFitnessPal's accuracy and ways in which perceived inaccuracy is reduced or compensated for; and Psychosocial factors, comprising cognitive, behavioral, and social factors that influence, or are influenced by, engagement with MyFitnessPal. Discussion The qualitative insights provide a detailed overview of how people with high levels of eating disorder symptomatology likely engage with MyFitnessPal. The insights can be used as a basis to develop valid, quantitative assessment of pathological patterns of engagement with calorie‐counting and fitness‐tracking technologies. The findings can also provide clinicians with insight into how their patients likely engage with, and are affected by, these devices and applications.

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Digital Hazards for Feeding and Eating: What We Know and What We Don't

Ioannidis

Chamberlain

2021

Curr Psychiatry Rep

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Purpose of Review We aimed to accrue recent evidence exploring effects of modern online activities (e.g., Internet use) on feeding and eating disorder symptoms, and related traits. We examined available evidence to ascertain any direct influences from online activities on feeding and eating disorders, thereby shedding light on putative mechanisms by which those influences may occur. Recent Findings Many facets of problematic usage of the Internet correlate cross sectionally with eating disorder and related psychopathology. There is evidence to suggest that significant effects do exist in the direction of specific Internet activities contributing to eating disorder symptoms, viewed dimensionally. Putative mechanisms are discussed. However, a significant number of eating disorder phenotypes and Internet-related activities remain under-researched. Summary Specific facets of engagement with the online environment appear to confer risk for feeding and eating problems, evidence being strongest for non-clinical studies using dimensional measures. More research is required to rigorously confirm causal effects, including in patients meeting formal diagnostic criteria for eating disorders. We also highlight the need for high-quality evidence to explore how eating disorder phenotypes are commonly as well as uniquely affected by different online activities. Such research is needed in order that scientific understanding in this area can be translated to protect those most at risk of disordered eating, including through changes in public health approaches and clinical practice.

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Body dissatisfaction, neuroticism, and female sex as predictors of calorie-tracking app use amongst college students

Abstract: The results from this study suggest that female college students are more likely to use calorie-tracking apps-a phenomenon which may be attributable to their higher levels of neuroticism and subsequent increased body dissatisfaction.

Cited by 18 publications

References 31 publications

Monitoring eating and activity: Links with disordered eating, compulsive exercise, and general wellbeing among young adults

Monitoring eating and activity: Links with disordered eating, compulsive exercise, and general wellbeing among young adults

Engagement with MyFitnessPal in eating disorders: Qualitative insights from online forums

Digital Hazards for Feeding and Eating: What We Know and What We Don't

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