Social networks’ unnoticed influence on body image in Spanish university students

[Display omitted] •This study explored the frequency of published videos reposted on social networks.•This study shows the importance of social networks as factors in eating disorders.•Body image satisfaction has a high correlation with the use of social networks. The influence of advertising on social networks and its effect on young people’s self-image has been studied. This study first explored the frequency of published videos reposted on social networks using different Application Programming Interfaces as search engines. The study also implemented self-valuation surveys assessed by experts and distributed among mental health professionals who assessed the influence of these social networks. Finally, the survey was designed regarding social networks and body assessment and distributed among Córdoba university students (N=328). The majority of health professionals concluded that there is an elevated influence of social networks on eating disorders, assessing advertising asa risk factor with a value of 4.60 out of 5. Young people’s perceptions of their body image indicate that women’s degree of satisfaction is highly correlated with the frequency of their connections to social networks, with the body image those women present and with the effect of advertising. Conversely, this high correlation and influence does not exist in men.