The Effect of Media Literacy on Eating Disorders of Female Athletes With the Mediating Role of Body Image

Social media play a crucial role in setting cultural standards for the ideal body, which are often unrealistic and emphasize the importance of thinness for girls. This research aimed to explore the effect of media literacy on eating disorders with the mediating role of body image of female athletes in Izeh City, Iran.

This correlational research was applied in terms of purpose. The statistical population includes all females of Izeh City who were engaged in professional and non-professional sports activities from 2021 to 2022. The samples were collected using available sampling (N=256). To collect data, we used 4 questionnaires: personal characteristics questionnaire, a standard media literacy questionnaire by Karman and Karatash (2009), a standard eating disorders questionnaire by Fairburn and Beglin (1994), and a standard body image questionnaire by Garner (2004). Its validity was confirmed using content validity and convergent and divergent validity. The reliability of the questionnaires was confirmed using the Cronbach α as follows: media literacy: 0.945, body image: 0.821, and eating disorders: 0.708. Data were tested using the Pearson correlation test and structural equation modeling.

Media literacy negatively and significantly affected female athletes’ eating disorders (r= -0.196) and body image (r=-0.365). Also, body image negatively and significantly affected female athletes’ eating disorders (r=-0.566). Moreover, media literacy indirectly and significantly affected female athletes’ eating disorders (r=0.202) with the mediating role of body image. Finally, the test of the eating disorders model based on media literacy with the mediation of body image had a good fit (GOF=0.492).

Considering the effect of media literacy on girls’ eating disorders, the health organization should include healthy eating and the consequences of eating disorders in educational topics in schools.