"I Was Just Like a Sponge, Absorbing All the Wrong Information": Examining the Role of Social Media in Athletes' Eating Disorder and Recovery Experiences.

objectiveWithin sport environments, athletes are exposed to norms that circulate narrow meanings about the body and food, contributing to the high prevalence of eating disorders (EDs). While social media can support ED recovery, it can also further constrain food- and body-related messages for athletes. The purpose of this study was to examine the role of social media in athletes' ED and recovery experiences.

methodData were drawn from a broader study on athletes' support networks during ED recovery, where 29 participants (17 athletes, 12 social agents) completed one-on-one semi-structured interviews. For the present study, all discussion of social media was extracted from the interviews and analyzed using reflexive thematic analysis.

resultsWe identified four themes. The first theme, Positive Aspects of Social Media Undermined by Harmful ED Content, describes how, despite facilitating connection, social media often exacerbates existing food- and body-related pressures for athletes. The second theme, Establishing a New Relationship With Social Media to Protect ED Recovery, showcases how athletes applied social media literacy skills. The third theme, Using Social Media to Challenge ED Stigma and Diet Culture, describes how some athletes initiated conversations about EDs and countered harmful diet culture messages through their platforms. The fourth theme, Online Visibility as a Recovery Stressor, depicts how increasing pressures for athletes to curate a personal brand on social media may reexpose them to ED-related content. DISCUSSION: Findings highlight the need for athlete-specific social media literacy within ED prevention and treatment programs, and for sport organizations and media platforms to support safer online environments.