A new study brought to you by Columbia University and the University of Pittsburgh proves that while Facebook usage can give you feeling of “increased self-worth”, it may lead to binge eating and financial debt.

Social network users care a lot about the image they present to their closest friends. Social networks accommodate such positive images. It has been shown that using social networks increases your self-esteem.

However, such increased self-esteem may lead you to make poor decisions once you get off your computer.

Andrew T Stephen from the University of Pittsburgh and Keith Wilcox from Columbia University say that “This momentary increase in self-esteem leads them to display less self-control after browsing a social network.” They believe this could lead user to “choose an unhealthy snack after browsing Facebook due to enhanced self-esteem.”

A positive correlation has been found between Facebook usage and higher body-mass index and, also, increased binge eating.

Likewise, those who spend more time on these social networking sites had higher credit card debts and lower credit scores as a result of higher spending.

“These results are concerning given the increased time people spend using social networks, as well as the worldwide proliferation of access to social networks anywhere anytime via smartphones and other gadgets.

Given that self-control is important for maintaining social order and personal well-being, this subtle effect could have widespread impact.

This is particularly true for adolescents and young adults who are the heaviest users of social networks and have grown up using social networks as a normal part of their daily lives,” conclude the authors.

Paul Hudson | Elite.