Physical Activity, Social Media Use, Anxiety, Interoception, and Body Image: A Cross-Sectional Study of Rural Adolescents

Purpose: This investigation aimed to explore relationships among health behaviors, psychological factors, and body image in rural adolescents. Design: A cross-sectional survey was conducted. Setting: The study took place in a rural school in the Midwest region of the United States. Subjects: Participants (n = 45) were rural adolescents (6th-9th grade). Measures: Physical activity was assessed using the CAPL-2 and IPAQ, social media usage and addiction were evaluated through daily screen time and the BSMAS, body image was measured using the BSQ and BAS-2, anxiety levels were assessed with the GAD-7, and interoceptive abilities were measured by the MAIA-Y. These measures are validated for use in adolescent populations. Analysis: Linear regression models examined relationships between physical activity, social media usage, anxiety, body image, and interoceptive abilities. Effect sizes for significant predictors were determined using Cohen’s d. Results: Novel relationships were identified among rural adolescents, including a positive association between body appreciation and physical literacy (d = 0.322, P = 0.002), a negative association between body appreciation and social media addiction (d = 0.866, P < 0.001), and a positive association between social media addiction and anxiety levels (d = 0.341, P < 0.001). Conclusion: Social media impacts the well-being of rural adolescents. Promoting physical literacy and social media literacy may mitigate negative effects and should be prioritized in future interventions.