Social Media and Health: A Study on Changing Health Behaviors in the Digital Age
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.53573/rhimrj.2025.v12n12.006Keywords:
Social Media, Youth, Lifestyle, Health, ChhattisgarhAbstract
Social media's rapid and widespread adoption has significantly altered daily lifestyle choices and health-related behaviors, particularly among young people. Social media platforms have become indispensable to modern society's personal and professional spheres because they provide spaces for information exchange, entertainment, virtual networking, and even career advancement. These platforms often have an impact on how today's youth express themselves, communicate, compare themselves to others, and make decisions about their health. Given this, the current study examines the effects of social media use on the physical and mental health of young people in Chhattisgarh. An organized interview schedule was used to gather the primary data. Purposive sampling was used to select 500 respondents from each division of Chhattisgarh in order to guarantee regional representation. Using structural equation modeling (SEM) for statistical analysis and hypothesis testing, the researcher was able to quantify the correlation between social media use and various aspects of health outcomes. The findings demonstrate that social media can be both a risk and an opportunity. On the one hand, social media provides health-related information, motivational fitness content, peer support, and online health communities that can promote positive behavioral changes. Over-engagement, however, increases the risk of sedentary lifestyles, sleep disorders, anxiety, and increased social comparison pressures, all of which are detrimental to the physical and mental health of young people. According to the study, social media platforms are powerful sociocultural spaces that actively shape the attitudes, behaviors, and lifestyles of young people in Chhattisgarh. In order to minimize health risks and maximize the benefits of technology-driven social engagement, the results emphasize the necessity of focused interventions, digital literacy, and balanced usage.
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