The relationship between social media addiction and emotional appetite: a cross-sectional study among young adults in Turkey

Objective: The present study focused on the relationship between addiction to social media (SM) and emotional appetite in young adults. Design: Cross-sectional online survey. Setting: The Bergen Social Media Addiction Scale (BSMAS) and Emotional Appetite Questionnaire (EMAQ) were used, and the duration and frequency of SM tools usage were analysed. Participants: Five hundred and twenty-four participants (144 men and 380 women) aged between 18 and 25 years. Results: The mean of SM usage duration of participants was 3<middle dot>2 +/- 2<middle dot>2 h per d along with a mean of BSMAS score of 16<middle dot>1 +/- 5<middle dot>9. Concerning emotional appetite, the mean scores for positive and negative aspects of EMAQ were 4<middle dot>4 +/- 1<middle dot>9 and 3<middle dot>1 +/- 1<middle dot>2, respectively. The predominant SM tools were YouTube (92<middle dot>6 %) and Instagram (90<middle dot>3 %). Notably, a significant association was observed between SM addiction and the frequency of access to YouTube, Instagram, and Twitter, with addiction levels increasing as access frequency rose (P < 0<middle dot>01). Conclusion: This study demonstrated a possible relationship between SM addiction and emotional appetite among young adults. However, further research with more prominent participants and a lengthier follow-up duration is necessary to elucidate how SM tools affect eating behaviour.