Our study adds to the limited public health literature on UWCBs and their association with the use of dating apps – an increasingly popular form of nontraditional media that is believed to be a contributor of body dissatisfaction [22]. To our knowledge, this is the first study to investigate the association between dating app use and UWCBs among U.S. adults. Specifically, we hypothesized dating app users would demonstrate elevated engagement of UWCBs, such as self-induced vomiting, fasting, and diet pill use. Such behaviors are not medically recommended for weight loss and are considered clinically relevant symptoms of eating disorders [37]. Our results supported this hypothesis. First, our analyses revealed a high prevalence of various UWCBs among the men and women in our study - ranging from self-induced vomiting for weight control to anabolic steroid use. Additionally, our results documented a higher prevalence of the six UWCBs among dating app users than non-users in our study. These findings may be a result of the image- and appearance-centered culture of dating apps as users attempt to find sexual and/or romantic partners; such claims, however, warrant additional study. Consistent with existing literature, we documented elevated rates of UWCBs among racial/ethnic minorities [38, 39]. For example, a prior study of nearly 17,000 U.S. adolescents found that the odds of UWCBs were elevated 2–10 times in most ethnic groups relative to whites [39]. This finding partially supported our second hypothesis that dating app users belonging to racial/ethnic and sexual minority groups would demonstrate higher rates of UWCBs. Our results highlighted racial/ethnic disparities as African Americans reported higher odds of UWCBs compared to their white counterparts. We also documented elevated engagement in many UWCBs among Asian American, Hispanic and other or mixed dating app users. We did not, however, find elevated odds of UWCBs based on sexual orientation. Prior research have found sexual minority men to be at greater risk for eating disorders, such as anorexia and bulimia nervosa, compared with heterosexual men [40,41,42]; studies also suggest that sexual minority men place high priority on physical attractiveness and thinness [43, 44], as well as increased desire for muscularity [45]. .

With the tremendous growth in their usage in the U.S. [1], and an increasing number of studies linking their use to body image concerns and UWCBs, there is an urgency to further understand how dating apps influence health behaviors and outcomes.. And while these apps allow users to communicate with each other, and often privately, prior studies suggest this avenue of digital communication has proliferated interpersonal discrimination, such as racism and weight shaming [11].

According to the Tripartite Influence model [46, 47], appearance pressures from peers, parents, and the media lead to body image dissatisfaction and UWCBs [46]. Dating apps, arguably another form of modern-day social media, often contain commercial ads and user profiles depicting images conveying societally accepted image ideals for men and women. Thus, as with other forms of media, users of dating apps may internalize such societal appearance ideals and possibly compare their own appearance to those that they see – two processes that the Tripartite Model posits lead to body image dissatisfaction and ultimately eating disturbances [48, 49]. Therefore, future studies, particularly those executing a longitudinal design, ought to apply the framework of the Tripartite Model by exploring the role of peers, family, and other media in the relationship between dating app use and UWCBs.

Overall, our study has several limitations for consideration. The cross-sectional design of the study and absence of long-term assessment of dating app use limited our ability to establish temporal or causal relationships between dating apps and UWCBs. It is possible that individuals already engaging in UWCBs may be drawn to using dating apps, and that dating app use in turn could exacerbate disordered eating behavior symptoms. Our cross-sectional study cannot disentangle these different plausible pathways but highlights the need for additional studies (e.g., cohort or quasi-experimental) to identify the causal links between dating app use and UWCBs.. In addition, the results of the online survey used in this study relied on self-reported data and did not collect indicators of psychosocial factors, such as experiences with weight stigma, body image concerns, self-esteem, and depression, which may be possible mediating variables in the relationship between body dissatisfaction and UWCBs [50]. Our findings are also limited in regards to generalizability as participants were restricted to U.S.-based participants in possession of an iPhone 6 series or greater, who may have differing sociodemographic characteristics (e.g., income) from those with other mobile devices [51]. In addition, MTurk workers are not necessarily representative of the general population (e.g., overrepresentation of women) [52].. The online survey did not assess the types and brands of dating app services used by our participants, as some may have less tolerance for appearance-based discrimination among users [53]. For instance, multiple dating app services began imposing profile changes and interventions intended to minimize discrimination as well as promote inclusivity on their platforms in fall 2018. The dating app “Scruff,” which is geared towards men who have sex with men, no longer requires ethnicity to be listed on user profiles and began sending in-app messages to users who display “racial language” on their profiles [54]. Lastly, we did not assess participants’ motivation for dating app use (e.g., to find romantic partners, sexual partners, and/or friends). Such information could further explain the possible relationship between dating app use and UWCBs.