New study links social media use to gambling addiction
A recent study published in the BMJ (British Medical Journal) by a team of researchers warns that social media use may be linked to health-risk behaviors in young people, such as increased participation in gambling.
Study "Social media use and health risk behaviors in young people: a systematic review and meta-analysis also shows an association between daily social media engagement and alcohol, drug and tobacco use, antisocial behavior and risky sexual behavior connect.
The study analyzed more than 126 studies between 1997 and 2022. In total, some 139 million young people with an average age of 15 are participating.
Previous research points to harmful links between social media and certain risky behaviors. However, most focus only on college-level students. So researchers in the BMJ study wanted to examine the relationship between health-risk behaviors and time spent on social media among 10- to 19-year-olds.
Key Points
The analysis found that daily use of social media platforms increased the likelihood of gambling by nearly 200% compared to infrequent use of social media platforms. This does not necessarily mean there is a significant increase in gambling activity, as another study by the UK Gambling Commission last month showed that gambling activity among young people is declining.
There is also a pattern in alcohol and drug consumption compared to infrequent consumption, at 48% and 28% respectively. Among adolescents over 16 years of age, there was a stronger association between alcohol consumption.Tobacco use showed the highest potential association at 85%.
The results suggest a possible link between frequent social media activity and risky sexual behaviors, including sexting and unsafe sex. Additionally, associations with antisocial behavior were observed, including bullying, physical aggression, and truancy.
Exposure to social media content that promotes health-risk behaviors is particularly associated with unhealthy eating habits and alcohol consumption.
Needs further research
Most studies were conducted in high-income countries and were of variable quality. However, researchers can use the GRADE system to assess the credibility of evidence.
GRADE (Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development, and Evaluation) has become a standard method for assessing evidence in health research. It is used by organizations around the world and has become part of standard clinical practice guidelines in several countries.
Researchers recognize that further research is needed to establish cause and effect and understand the impact on health disparities. Other research can also help determine which specific elements of exposure to social media may have the most damaging effects.
They also point out that many studies on social media use are based on personal memories. This means there may be factors that were not taken into account but may influence the results, including behaviors learned from the home environment.
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Source: www.casino.org
