Adolescents’ exposure to and evaluation of food promotions on social media: a multi-method approach

Abstract

Background Traditional food marketing, mostly involving advertisement of nutrient poor and energy dense foods, has the effect of enhancing attitudes, preferences, and increasing intake of marketed foods in adolescents, with detrimental consequences for health. While the use of social media applications in adolescents has proliferated, little is known about the content of food promotions within these applications. The aim of this study was to investigate adolescents’ exposure to and evaluation of social media food promotions (SMFPs). Methods Australian adolescents aged 13–16 years joined one-on-one Zoom meetings with the researcher on the device they normally used for social media. Participants shared their screen and visited up to three of their favourite social media platforms for 10 min each, during which the researcher pointed out examples of SMFPs to participants. Next, participants answered questions about their awareness and appreciation of SMFPs. Screenshots of SMFPs were de-identified and analysed. Results The study included 35 adolescents aged 14.4 (± 1.2) years (boys: n = 18; girls: n = 17). Instagram, Snapchat and YouTube were the most favoured social media platforms. During a total of 1000 min of viewing time, 1801 unbranded (n = 1221) and branded (n = 580) SMFPs were identified. Participants viewed a median rate (IQR) of 12.0 (6.3–20) SMFPs per 10 min, with a median rate of 6.0 (3–11) non-core SMFPs per 10 min. A majority of SMFPs (62%) were embedded into celebrity influencer or entertaining content (e.g., vlogs, cooking videos, streamed TV content). In total, 60% of the participants said they had sometimes, rarely or never noticed the SMFPs pointed out by the researcher themselves. Participants largely remembered non-core foods or brands (77%). Almost half (49%) of participants liked SMFPs, while only 6% disliked them. Conclusions This study contributes to a relatively unexplored research area. The outcomes show adolescents’ SMFP exposure mostly concerns unhealthy foods, shown in advertisements and other food-related posts, which are integrated into a wide variety of entertainment that is appreciated by adolescents. The results emphasise the need for more research on SMFPs, with particular focus on the impact on adolescent dietary behaviours, and clearer definitions and stricter regulations regarding adolescent-targeted social media food marketing.

Is this advertisement designed to appeal to you? Adolescents’ views about Instagram advertisements promoting ultra-processed products

“…On the contrary, ads promoting products they do not find appealing or positioned as healthy, were perceived as designed to appeal to other age groups. These results match the categories most frequently promoted to adolescents on Instagram ( 19 ) , as well as those identified as most prevalent in studies assessing adolescent exposure to digital food marketing ( 3 – 5 , 28 , 29 ) . Repeated exposure to marketing of unhealthy products using content related to adolescents may create social norms around the foods adolescents usually eat, reinforcing adolescents’ unhealthy dietary patterns ( 30 ) .…”

“…Digital media have become a key part of the daily life of adolescents (1) , with such media content exposing them to marketing of ultra-processed products and fast food outlets across a wide range of platforms (2)(3)(4)(5) . Adolescents are highly vulnerable to the persuasive effects of exposure to this type of marketing, although their cognitive skills are similar to those of adults (6,7) .…”

Colorful candy, teen vibes and cool memes: prevalence and content of Instagram posts featuring ultra-processed products targeted at adolescents

“…Adolescents are expected to be a specific target group for food marketers due to their increased autonomy to make their food purchases and ability to influence the food purchases of their family, as well as the fact that they constitute future adult consumers (Folkvord et al , 2016; Nöjd et al , 2020; van der Bend et al , 2022a). Recent studies have reported that adolescents are frequently exposed to marketing of ultra-processed products and fast food across several distinct social media platforms (Dunlop et al , 2016; Elliott et al , 2022; Murphy et al , 2020; van der Bend et al , 2022b). However, despite the relevance of the topic, as far as it can be ascertained, few, if any, studies have analyzed the prevalence of digital food marketing targeted at adolescents.…”

Development of food literacy in children and adolescents: implications for the design of strategies to promote healthier and more sustainable diets

“… 180 , 181 Research shows that children have difficulties recognizing those tactics and identifying the commercial motives of these messages, because of the involvement of feelings in the advertisements and the blurring line between advertising and entertainment. 182 , 183 Adolescents, in particular, may experience strong relationships with influencers and rather perceive them as friends. Recommendations from influencers, therefore, have greater credibility and authenticity than traditional forms of advertising.…”