From food ads to body image pressures, a global review exposes how social media drives unhealthy dietary habits in children as young as five. Review: Negative Influence of Social Media on Children’s Diets: A Systematic Review . Image Credit: Jelena Stanojkovic / Shutterstock Scientists at the University of North Texas, USA, have conducted a systematic review of existing literature to understand the impact of social media on children’s dietary habits.
The study is published in the journal Encyclopedia . Background Younger Children Are Vulnerable: Children as young as 5–8 years old are significantly influenced by social media, making this one of the earliest age groups to experience shifts in dietary behaviors and preferences due to online exposure. Social media has become an integral part of today’s lifestyle.
The ever-increasing rate of social media use has raised concerns, particularly for children, as it can impact various aspects of their well-being, including dietary habits and nutritional health. Continuous exposure to information about nutrition, healthy recipes, and wellness trends via social media platforms can influence a child’s food preferences, eating behavior, and related aspects. Various food and beverage industries use social media platforms to target young users with unhealthy food product advertisements, which can negatively impact their food preferences.
Similarly, social media can create peer pressure on children by exposing them to videos and ima.
