The association between social media pressure on body image and eating behaviours among students aged 14 to 16 in SMK Shah Alam

This study investigated the association between social media pressure on body image and eating behaviours among adolescents aged 14 to 16 years in SMK Shah Alam. The increasing use of visual-based platforms such as Instagram and TikTok exposes adolescents to idealised body standards, which may affect their self-perception and eating attitudes. The research aimed to assess the internalisation of appearance ideals, identify the prevalence of disordered eating behaviours, and examine the relationship between these factors. A cross-sectional quantitative design was employed involving 300 secondary school students. Data were collected using validated Malay versions of the Sociocultural Attitudes Towards Appearance Questionnaire-3 (SATAQ-3) and the Eating Attitude Test-26 (EAT-26), alongside anthropometric measurements to calculate BMI-for-age. Results revealed that 87.4% of respondents experienced moderate to high levels of social media pressure, while 22.3% were at risk of disordered eating behaviours. A moderate positive correlation was found between social media pressure and disordered eating (Spearman’s rho = 0.392, p < 0.001). These findings indicate that increased exposure to social media is linked to internalisation of societal beauty standards and unhealthy eating patterns. This highlights the need for targeted interventions such as media literacy education, early screening, and supportive school-based programs to promote positive body image and healthy dietary behaviours among Malaysian adolescents.