Correlates of weight-related self-monitoring application use during emerging adulthood in a population-based sample

Samantha L Hahn; Vivienne M Hazzard; Nicole Larson; Laura Klein; Katie A Loth; Dianne Neumark-Sztainer

doi:10.1007/s40519-021-01349-4

Correlates of weight-related self-monitoring application use during emerging adulthood in a population-based sample

Eat Weight Disord. 2022 Aug;27(6):2107-2119. doi: 10.1007/s40519-021-01349-4. Epub 2022 Jan 17.

Authors

Samantha L Hahn^{1

2}, Vivienne M Hazzard^{3

4

5}, Nicole Larson³, Laura Klein³, Katie A Loth⁶, Dianne Neumark-Sztainer³

Affiliations

¹ Division of Epidemiology and Community Health, University of Minnesota School of Public Health, 1300 S 2nd St, 300 Block West Bank Office Building, Minneapolis, MN, 55454, USA. hahn0203@umn.edu.
² Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Health, University of Minnesota Medical School, 2450 Riverside Ave, Minneapolis, MN, 55454, USA. hahn0203@umn.edu.
³ Division of Epidemiology and Community Health, University of Minnesota School of Public Health, 1300 S 2nd St, 300 Block West Bank Office Building, Minneapolis, MN, 55454, USA.
⁴ Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Health, University of Minnesota Medical School, 2450 Riverside Ave, Minneapolis, MN, 55454, USA.
⁵ Sanford Center for Biobehavioral Research, 120 Eighth St S, Fargo, ND, 58103, USA.
⁶ Department of Family Medicine and Community Health, University of Minnesota Medical School, 717 Delaware St SE, Minneapolis, MN, USA.

Abstract

Purpose: This study was designed to examine (1) the types of technologies or other applications (apps) emerging adults use to track their eating, physical activity, or weight; (2) who uses these apps and (3) whether eating and weight-related concerns during adolescence predict app use in emerging adulthood.

Methods: Longitudinal survey data were obtained from EAT 2010-2018 (Eating and Activity over Time study, N = 1428), a population-based sample of ethnically/racially and socioeconomically diverse adolescents (mean age: 14.5 ± 2.0 years), who were followed into emerging adulthood (mean age: 22.0 ± 2.0 years). Data were used to examine sociodemographic correlates of physical activity- and dietary-focused app use. Adjusted, gender-stratified logistic regressions were used to investigate longitudinal relationships between eating and weight-related concerns in adolescence and app use in emerging adulthood.

Results: Compared to men, women were more likely to use physical activity- (23.2 versus 12.5%, p < 0.001) and dietary-focused apps (16.1 versus 5.5%, p < 0.001). Among women, eating and weight-related concerns in adolescence, particularly unhealthy muscle-building behaviors (OR = 1.73, 95% CI 1.03-2.92), were associated with later dietary-focused app use. Among men, use of other muscle-building behaviors and body dissatisfaction in adolescence predicted use of physical activity- (OR_{other muscle-building} = 1.60, 95% CI 1.03-2.49 and OR_{body dissatisfaction} = 1.67, 95% CI 1.06-2.65) and dietary-focused (OR_{other muscle-building} = 2.18, 95% CI 1.07-4.47 and OR_{body dissatisfaction} = 2.35, 95% CI 1.12-4.92) apps 8 years later.

Conclusions: Eating and weight-related concerns may predict later use of physical activity- and dietary-focused apps; future research is needed to understand whether use of such apps further increases eating and weight-related concerns.

Level of evidence: III, well-designed longitudinal cohort study.

Keywords: Eating behaviors; Eating disorders; Epidemiology; Physical activity; Prevention; Self-monitoring.

MeSH terms

Adolescent
Body Weight*
Child
Cohort Studies
Diet*
Female
Humans
Longitudinal Studies
Male
Mobile Applications*
Young Adult

Abstract

MeSH terms

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