Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Disordered Eating Behavior: Qualitative Analysis of Social Media Posts

Sara K Nutley; Alyssa M Falise; Rebecca Henderson; Vasiliki Apostolou; Carol A Mathews; Catherine W Striley

doi:10.2196/26011

Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Disordered Eating Behavior: Qualitative Analysis of Social Media Posts

JMIR Ment Health. 2021 Jan 27;8(1):e26011. doi: 10.2196/26011.

Authors

Sara K Nutley^#¹, Alyssa M Falise¹, Rebecca Henderson², Vasiliki Apostolou¹, Carol A Mathews³, Catherine W Striley¹

Affiliations

¹ Department of Epidemiology, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, United States.
² Department of Anthropology, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, United States.
³ Department of Psychiatry, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, United States.

^# Contributed equally.

PMID: 33465035
PMCID: PMC7842857
DOI: 10.2196/26011

Abstract

Background: A growing body of evidence is suggesting a significant association between the COVID-19 pandemic and population-level mental health. Study findings suggest that individuals with a lifetime history of disordered eating behavior may be negatively affected by COVID-19-related anxiety, and prevention measures may disrupt daily functioning and limit access to treatment. However, data describing the influence of the COVID-19 pandemic on disordered eating behaviors are limited, and most findings focus on individuals in treatment settings.

Objective: The aim of this study is to characterize the experiences of Reddit users worldwide who post in eating disorder (ED)-related discussion forums describing the influence of the COVID-19 pandemic on their overall mental health and disordered eating behavior.

Methods: Data were collected from popular subreddits acknowledging EDs as their primary discussion topic. Unique discussion posts dated from January 1 to May 31, 2020 that referenced the COVID-19 pandemic were extracted and evaluated using inductive, thematic data analysis.

Results: Six primary themes were identified: change in ED symptoms, change in exercise routine, impact of quarantine on daily life, emotional well-being, help-seeking behavior, and associated risks and health outcomes. The majority of users reported that the COVID-19 pandemic and associated public health prevention measures negatively impacted their psychiatric health and contributed to increased disordered eating behaviors. Feelings of isolation, frustration, and anxiety were common. Many individuals used Reddit forums to share personal experiences, seek advice, and offer shared accountability.

Conclusions: Reddit discussion forums have provided a therapeutic community for individuals to share experiences and provide support for peers with ED during a period of increased psychiatric distress. Future research is needed to assess the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on disordered eating behavior and to evaluate the role of social media discussion forums in mental health treatment, especially during periods of limited treatment access.

Keywords: COVID-19; Reddit; anorexia nervosa; binge eating disorder; coronavirus; disorder; eating; eating disorders; experience; mental health; qualitative; social media; theme.

©Sara K Nutley, Alyssa M Falise, Rebecca Henderson, Vasiliki Apostolou, Carol A Mathews, Catherine W Striley. Originally published in JMIR Mental Health (http://mental.jmir.org), 27.01.2021.