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Social Media Use, Body Image Disturbance, and Lifestyle Change Motivations among University Students
53-66Views:371Social media has become an integral part of young people’s everyday lives, exerting a significant influence on their self-esteem and body image. The aim of this study was to explore how social media usage patterns, filter use, and online self-representation affect young adults’ body image and attitudes toward lifestyle changes. Primary data collection was conducted through an online, anonymous questionnaire among students of the University of Debrecen (N = 575). Data were analyzed using IBM SPSS 27 software, applying descriptive statistics and non-parametric tests (Mann–Whitney and Chi-square). The results indicate a significant relationship between body image disturbance and both the amount of time spent on social media (p = 0.000) and the use of photo-editing tools (p = 0.011). Participants with body image disturbance edited or modified their photos more frequently, while their posting frequency did not differ significantly from that of participants without body image disturbance. Individuals experiencing body image disturbance were more likely to attempt lifestyle changes (79.9%) than those in the control group (54.6%), with body shaping (83.9%) and weight loss (65.7%) being the most common motivations. The findings highlight that social media use is closely linked to body image perception and lifestyle behavior among young adults. Based on these results, it is recommended to strengthen media literacy and promote critical awareness of edited and idealized online content. Developing educational programs that foster realistic body image and healthy self-esteem may also help mitigate the negative impacts observed in this study. Furthermore, interventions aimed at reducing appearance-based social comparison and encouraging balanced, health-oriented lifestyle motivations—rather than weight-focused goals—could play a crucial role in preventing body image disturbances and supporting young people’s mental well-being.
JEL Codes: I10; I12; I19 -
Analysis of Energy Drink Consumption Habits and Motivations among University Students
67-79Views:1316Young adults tend to consume energy drinks, even if they know exactly what they contain and what their health effects might be, even in the long term. The purpose of our research is to find out what motivates young people to consume energy drinks. In the quantitative research, a focus group-oriented online questionnaire was held out to assess the energy drink consumption habits of university students as well as their motivations for consumption using the TEMS model (N=897). The TEMS model was adapted for energy drinks. The qualitative research involved an eye-camera study with advertisements of the most popular energy drink brands and the existence of cognitive dissonance among students consuming energy drinks was also investigated. In summary, the majority of students were aware of the ingredients of energy drinks and their negative effects on health. The main motivations for consuming the product were that it tastes good, gives energy, is a pleasure to drink and that they simply like the product. Cognitive dissonance is also present in the purchase and consumption of energy drinks, therefore advertising has a strong influence on brand evaluations.
JEL-Codes: M31, M3 -
Relationship between Health Behaviour of Parents and Children
35-52Views:677In recent years our daily lives have been characterised by lifestyle diseases, sedentary lifestyle, high level of physical inactivity, global pandemic. Because of this reason health becomes as an important value in our everyday life. It can be said that health status is a dynamic status which is affected by various aspects. The development of health behaviour involves individual decision-making and choices, the social and built environment, as well as various socialization contexts. The family model and the socio-economic status of the family play a crucial role in shaping children's attitudes towards health culture, exerting a significant influence on the formation of children's habits such as physical activity and proper nutrition. In childhood, there is partial control, with parents making decisions about living conditions, nutrition, and most aspects of the child's life. It is also important to note, that adolescents constitute a demographic where primary prevention can achieve the most long-term successes. Because of this reason, at the centre of our research is the examination of parental patterns and their reflection in the health behaviour of young adults, including eating-, sleeping-, and harmful habits as well as covid pandemic's effect on the eating habits of the families.
JEL Code: I12
