Does the use of Facebook encourage eating disorders?

According to the Center for Eating Disorders at Sheppard Pratt in Baltimore, 51 percent of respondents to a survey said that seeing photos of themselves on Facebook makes them more conscious about their body and weight. When comparing their bodies to friends’ bodies in photos, 37 percent feel they need to change specific body parts.

“Facebook is making it easier for people to spend more time and energy criticizing their own bodies and wishing they looked like someone else,” said the Center’s director Dr. Harry Brandt in a press release.

“In this age of modern technology and constant access to smart phones and the Internet, it’s becoming increasingly difficult for people to remove themselves from images and other triggers that promote negative body image, low self-esteem, and may ultimately contribute to eating disorders.”