Using Social Media to Understand Web-Based Social Factors Concerning Obesity: Systematic Review

Abstract

Background Evidence in the literature surrounding obesity suggests that social factors play a substantial role in the spread of obesity. Although social ties with a friend who is obese increase the probability of becoming obese, the role of social media in this dynamic remains underexplored in obesity research. Given the rapid proliferation of social media in recent years, individuals socialize through social media and share their health-related daily routines, including dieting and exercising. Thus, it is timely and imperative to review previous studies focused on social factors in social media and obesity. Objective This study aims to examine web-based social factors in relation to obesity research. Methods We conducted a systematic review. We searched PubMed, Association for Computing Machinery, and ScienceDirect for articles published by July 5, 2019. Web-based social factors that are related to obesity behaviors were studied and analyzed. Results In total, 1608 studies were identified from the selected databases. Of these 1608 studies, 50 (3.11%) studies met the eligibility criteria. In total, 10 types of web-based social factors were identified, and a socioecological model was adopted to explain their potential impact on an individual from varying levels of web-based social structure to social media users’ connection to the real world. Conclusions We found 4 levels of interaction in social media. Gender was the only factor found at the individual level, and it affects user’s web-based obesity-related behaviors. Social support was the predominant factor identified, which benefits users in their weight loss journey at the interpersonal level. Some factors, such as stigma were also found to be associated with a healthy web-based social environment. Understanding the effectiveness of these factors is essential to help users create and maintain a healthy lifestyle.

The Impact of Age, Gender, Temporality, and Geographical Region on the Prevalence of Obesity and Overweight in Saudi Arabia: Scope of Evidence

“…Social media and the press should be employed to increase the awareness of the community about obesity as a chronic disease and as a risk factor for other disease, and channels for seeking medical attention and advice should be established and made available and easily accessible [ 109 ].…”

#childhoodobesity – A brief literature review of the role of social media in body image shaping and eating patterns among children and adolescents

“…Therefore, it would be interesting to check whether we recognize a similar effect in children and adolescents. Moreover, as is commonly known, many materials available on social media are not prepared on the basis of reliable and credible sources of information (e.g., 22 , 66 , 67 ). However, by increasing preventive activity in social media and using modern solutions related to social media (including the use of hashtag signs), we can have a greater impact on the health awareness of children and adolescents around the world, including fighting myths about obesity and patients who have been subject to stigmatization.…”

“…Many studies around the world indicate that children and adolescents use social media for up to several hours a day, an example of such research is an Iranian study in which almost 80% of children and adolescents use social media 3-4 h or more a day ( 19 ). Using these media, we often come across information on the subject of obesity, which can very quickly spread around the world, including by using a hashtag (#) for them appropriately ( 22 ). For example, when analyzing the titular #childhoodobesity, on the one hand, we come across (good quality) educational materials that raise people’s awareness of the prevention and treatment of obesity.…”

Digital Marketing: A Unique Multidisciplinary Approach towards the Elimination of Viral Hepatitis

“…Beyond pathogen surveillance, data on web behavior can be utilized as a health indicator of web users and to determine their access to healthcare facilities, including screening tests, vaccine, physicians and therapies (Figure 1) [24]. Additionally, the utility of web-based data can be beneficial for the assessment of other health issues such as contraception [29,30], diabetes [31,32], obesity [33] or cardiovascular diseases [34]. However, in the case of communicable diseases, the application of digital technology has extraordinary relevance.…”