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Negative influence of social media on children’s diets: A systematic review
Children’s growing social media usage has raised questions about how it may affect their eating patterns and general health. This systematic review by Prybutok V., Prybutok G., & Yogarajah (2024) investigated the negative effects of social media on children’s diets to inform evidence-based interventions and policy decisions. A search of peer-reviewed studies from 2020 to 2024 was conducted using PubMed, Web of Science, and Scopus. Studies that included children aged 5–18 and analyzed social media’s influence on their diets were considered. Two independent reviewers assessed the studies, and data extraction and quality evaluation followed standardized protocols. Of the 945 studies found, 25 satisfied the requirements for inclusion. The main findings included (1) exposure to unhealthy food advertisements, (2) peer influence promoting unhealthy, energy-dense foods, (3) distorted body image perceptions leading to unhealthy eating behaviors, and (4) lower meal quality due to social media distractions. Peer impact on food choices and exposure to food marketing were shown to be more strongly correlated. The review highlights the detrimental effects of social media on children’s diets and stresses the need for policy changes, stricter food marketing regulations, and educational programs to improve media literacy. To assist in creating rules that guarantee a healthy digital environment for kids, future research should concentrate on the long-term effects and protective factors. [NPID: Social media, children’s nutrition, dietary behavior, food marketing, digital health]
Year: 2024
