@Article{info:doi/10.2196/46309,
author="Lee, David
and Jiang, Tao
and Crocker, Jennifer
and Way, Baldwin",
title="Social Media Use and Its Concurrent and Subsequent Relation to a Biological Marker of Inflammation: Short-Term Longitudinal Study",
journal="J Med Internet Res",
year="2023",
month="Dec",
day="8",
volume="25",
pages="e46309",
keywords="social media use; inflammation; physical health; well-being; screen time; mental health; social media; biomarker; chronic disease",
abstract="Background: Although many studies have examined the impact of social media use (SMU) on mental health, very few studies have examined the association of SMU with health-relevant biomarkers. Objective: Addressing this gap, we conducted a short-term longitudinal study examining the link between SMU and C-reactive protein (CRP), a biological marker of systemic inflammation predictive of major depression, chronic diseases, and mortality. Methods: We measured college students' weekly amount of SMU for 5 consecutive weeks objectively via the Screen Time app and collected blood samples at baseline and 5 weeks later. Results: In separate cross-sectional analyses conducted at phase 1 (baseline) and at phase 2 (5 weeks after baseline), objective SMU had a positive, concurrent association with CRP at both time points. Critically, in a longitudinal analysis, more SMU between phase 1 and phase 2 predicted increased CRP between these time points, suggesting that increased SMU led to heightened inflammation during that period. Conclusions: Although more research is needed to understand why SMU led to higher inflammation, the association between objective SMU and a marker of a biological process critical to physical health presents an intriguing opportunity for future research on social media effects. ",
issn="1438-8871",
doi="10.2196/46309",
url="https://www.jmir.org/2023/1/e46309",
url="https://doi.org/10.2196/46309",
url="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/38064253"
}