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Gleaves JM, Kemps E, Prichard I, Tiggemann M. I'll have what She's having (but not what They're having): The moderating role of group membership in the effect of social norms on food choice in an online environment. Appetite 2024; 198:107374. [PMID: 38679066 DOI: 10.1016/j.appet.2024.107374] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/21/2023] [Revised: 04/22/2024] [Accepted: 04/23/2024] [Indexed: 05/01/2024]
Abstract
The modern food-rich environment has contributed to the rise of unhealthy diets linked to noncommunicable diseases. Previous in-person research has found that the effect of social norms on food intake is greater when set by a perceived in-group member relative to an out-group member. Given recent increased social media use, we investigated whether this effect of group membership extends to food choices and to normative information presented remotely online. Participants (N = 179 female university students, 18-32 years) viewed a Facebook page pertaining to either their university (in-group) or a rival university (out-group). They were presented with either a healthy or an unhealthy norm via a post in which a student discussed their order at a café on the relevant campus. Food choice was assessed through an online menu where participants were asked to order one main, side, and dessert dish. As predicted, participants who viewed the healthy norm ordered a higher percentage of healthy items (especially in the desserts category) relative to those who viewed the unhealthy norm. However, this effect was significant only for those in the in-group condition; there was no such pattern for participants in the out-group condition. These findings provide insight into the role of group membership in the effect of social norms, and have practical implications regarding the design of identity-based social media health campaigns to promote healthier eating behaviours.
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Affiliation(s)
- Juliana Marie Gleaves
- Flinders University, College of Education, Psychology and Social Work, Adelaide, Australia
| | - Eva Kemps
- Flinders University, College of Education, Psychology and Social Work, Adelaide, Australia.
| | - Ivanka Prichard
- Flinders University, College of Nursing and Health Sciences, Adelaide, Australia
| | - Marika Tiggemann
- Flinders University, College of Education, Psychology and Social Work, Adelaide, Australia
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Wu Y, Kemps E, Prichard I. Digging into digital buffets: A systematic review of eating-related social media content and its relationship with body image and eating behaviours. Body Image 2024; 48:101650. [PMID: 38039952 DOI: 10.1016/j.bodyim.2023.101650] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/13/2023] [Revised: 11/14/2023] [Accepted: 11/15/2023] [Indexed: 12/03/2023]
Abstract
Recently, researchers have started investigating the influence of eating-focused social media content on viewers' body image and eating behaviour. The current systematic review collates the evidence for the relationship between exposure to eating-related social media content and people's body image, disordered eating, food consumption, and eating-related opinions. Following PRISMA guidelines, searches were conducted on five databases (i.e., Medline, PsycINFO, Web of Science, Scopus, and ProQuest), resulting in 38 eligible studies that examined the link between eating-related content and body image, eating behaviour and/or viewers' perceptions. Evidence showed positive relationships between exposure to certain material on social media (e.g., fast-food advertisements, clean eating, eating videos) and body image concerns, disordered eating, and consumption of, or a willingness to consume the foods seen on social media; however, studies that focused on 'healthy food' content showed no such link. Viewers expressed mixed feelings towards content such as nutrition information and mukbang videos which record hosts eating a large amount of food. Future research would benefit from a consistent measure of exposure to different eating-related content. There is also a need for more experimental research to examine the impact of watching different types of eating videos on body image, disordered eating, and food consumption.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yu Wu
- Flinders University, College of Nursing and Health Sciences, Health & Exercise Sciences, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia; Flinders University, College of Nursing and Health Sciences, Caring Futures Institute, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia.
| | - Eva Kemps
- Flinders University, College of Education, Psychology and Social Work, Psychology, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia
| | - Ivanka Prichard
- Flinders University, College of Nursing and Health Sciences, Health & Exercise Sciences, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia; Flinders University, College of Nursing and Health Sciences, Caring Futures Institute, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia
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Maksi SJ, Keller KL, Dardis F, Vecchi M, Freeman J, Evans RK, Boyland E, Masterson TD. The food and beverage cues in digital marketing model: special considerations of social media, gaming, and livestreaming environments for food marketing and eating behavior research. Front Nutr 2024; 10:1325265. [PMID: 38384857 PMCID: PMC10880034 DOI: 10.3389/fnut.2023.1325265] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/20/2023] [Accepted: 11/29/2023] [Indexed: 02/23/2024] Open
Abstract
Digital marketing to children, teens, and adults contributes to substantial exposure to cues and persuasive messages that drive the overconsumption of energy dense foods and sugary beverages. Previous food marketing research has focused on traditional media, but less is known about how marketing techniques translate within digital platforms, such as social media, livestreaming, and gaming. Building upon previous theories and models, we propose a new model entitled food and beverage cues in digital marketing (FBCDM). The FBCDM model specifies key marking elements and marketing integration strategies that are common on digital platforms and are hypothesized to enhance the effects of advertising and incentive sensitization process. FBCDM also categorizes measurable outcomes into three domains that include brand, food, and social outcomes. Additionally, repeated marketing exposure and the resulting outcomes are hypothesized to have long term consequences related to consumer markets, consumption behavior, culture, and health. We include a discussion of what is currently known about digital marketing exposure within the outcome domains, and we highlight gaps in research including the long-term consequences of digital marketing exposure. The FBCDM model provides a conceptual framework to guide future research to examine the digital marketing of food and beverages to children and adolescents in order to inform government and industry policies that restrict the aggressive marketing of products associated with obesity and adverse diet related outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sara J. Maksi
- Department of Nutritional Sciences, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, United States
| | - Kathleen L. Keller
- Department of Nutritional Sciences, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, United States
| | - Frank Dardis
- Department of Advertising and Public Relations, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, United States
| | - Martina Vecchi
- Department of Agricultural Economics, Sociology and Education, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, United States
| | - Jason Freeman
- Department of Advertising, School of Communications, Brigham Young University, Provo, UT, United States
| | - Rebecca K. Evans
- Department of Psychology, The University of Liverpool, Liverpool, United Kingdom
| | - Emma Boyland
- Department of Psychology, The University of Liverpool, Liverpool, United Kingdom
| | - Travis D. Masterson
- Department of Nutritional Sciences, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, United States
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Hawkins L, Farrow C, Clayton M, Thomas JM. Can social media be used to increase fruit and vegetable consumption? A pilot intervention study. Digit Health 2024; 10:20552076241241262. [PMID: 38660624 PMCID: PMC11041541 DOI: 10.1177/20552076241241262] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 03/05/2024] [Indexed: 04/26/2024] Open
Abstract
Background Exposure to social norms about fruit and vegetable intake has been shown to increase individuals' consumption of these foods. Further, exposure to socially endorsed 'healthy' food posts can increase consumption of low energy-dense (LED), relative to high energy-dense (HED) foods. The current pilot study aimed to investigate whether exposure to healthy eating (vs. control) social media accounts can shift normative perceptions about what others eat, eating intentions and self-reported food consumption. Methods In a 2 (condition) × 2 (type of food consumed) mixed factorial design, 52 male and female students were asked to follow either healthy eating (intervention) or interior design (control) Instagram accounts over a two-week period. Baseline and post-intervention measures assessed normative perceptions of Instagram users' consumption of fruit and vegetables (LED foods), and energy dense snacks and sugar sweetened beverages (HED foods). Participants' intentions to consume, and self-reported consumption of these foods, were also measured. Results There were no significant changes in perceptions about what others eat, or participants' own eating intentions (ps > 0.05). However, the intervention increased participants' self-reported consumption of LED foods by 1.37 servings (per day) and decreased consumption of HED foods by 0.81 items (per day), compared to the control condition (ps < 0.05). Conclusions This novel pilot study demonstrates that a social norm-based social media intervention can successfully encourage healthier eating, with a large effect after two weeks. Certain social media platforms may therefore provide a viable tool for nudging healthy eating. Future work will aim to replicate these findings in a larger and more diverse sample.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lily Hawkins
- Department of Public Health and Sports Sciences, Medical School, University of Exeter, Exeter, UK
| | - Claire Farrow
- School of Psychology, College of Health and Life Sciences, Aston University, Birmingham, UK
| | - Meshach Clayton
- School of Psychology, College of Health and Life Sciences, Aston University, Birmingham, UK
| | - Jason M Thomas
- School of Psychology, College of Health and Life Sciences, Aston University, Birmingham, UK
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Chen J, Du Y, Rui JR. How Foods and Beverages Are Promoted Online: A Content Analysis of the Digital Food Environment in China. Nutrients 2023; 15:5067. [PMID: 38140326 PMCID: PMC10745472 DOI: 10.3390/nu15245067] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/12/2023] [Revised: 11/23/2023] [Accepted: 12/03/2023] [Indexed: 12/24/2023] Open
Abstract
Digital platforms such as social media and e-commerce platforms have become a major space where foods and beverages (F&B) are promoted. Prior research has found that online, unhealthy F&B receive more presence than healthy F&B. This obesogenic food environment may increase the obesity rate. Therefore, it is critical to understand how healthy and unhealthy F&B are promoted online. A content analysis of 2906 posts related to F&B via five digital platforms was conducted in China, where the obesity rate has increased in recent years. Firstly, the results show that unhealthy F&B received more presence on digital platforms than healthy F&B. Secondly, healthy F&B posts tended to highlight the healthiness of the products, whereas unhealthy F&B posts leveraged a wide range of promotional strategies, specifically use cues, food cues, chewing sounds, sensory descriptions, friend cues, local cultural appeal, nostalgia appeal, price information, discount information, and trending hashtags or topics. Next, use cues, chewing sounds, sensory descriptions, family cues, and friend cues increased the quantity of audience feedback, whereas price information and using trending hashtags or topics lowered the quantity of audience feedback. Moreover, local cultural appeal and social proof exhibited the opposite impact on audience feedback. Finally, health benefit statements lowered audience feedback for healthy F&B posts, whereas brand visibility and purchase links inhibited audience feedback for unhealthy F&B posts. In addition to describing the digital food environment in China, the present research provides implications on how to promote healthy F&B. Particularly, we suggest that healthy F&B businesses and healthy eating campaigns should leverage the strategies unhealthy F&B use to receive more consumer attention, in order to increase their own products' public visibility and attractiveness.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Jian Raymond Rui
- Center for Public Health Risk Surveillance and Information Communication in Guangdong Province, South China University of Technology, 382 Waihuan East Rd, Guangzhou 510006, China; (J.C.); (Y.D.)
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Foubister C, Jago R, Sharp SJ, van Sluijs EMF. Time spent on social media use and BMI z-score: A cross-sectional explanatory pathway analysis of 10798 14-year-old boys and girls. Pediatr Obes 2023; 18:e13017. [PMID: 36890676 DOI: 10.1111/ijpo.13017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/03/2022] [Revised: 12/16/2022] [Accepted: 01/25/2023] [Indexed: 03/10/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The association between adolescent time spent on social media use and body mass index z-score (BMI z-score) is unclear. Pathways of association and sex differences are also unclear. This study examined the association between time spent on social media use and BMI z-score (primary objective) and potential explanatory pathways (secondary objective) for boys and girls. METHODS Data are from 5332 girls and 5466 boys aged 14 years in the UK Millennium Cohort Study. BMI z-score was regressed on self-reported time spent on social media use (h/day). Potential explanatory pathways explored included dietary intake, sleep duration, depressive symptoms, cyberbullying, body-weight satisfaction, self-esteem, and well-being. Sex-stratified multivariable linear regression and structural equation modelling were used to examine potential associations and explanatory pathways. RESULTS Using social media for ≥5 h/day (vs. <1 h/day) was positively associated with BMI z-score for girls (β [95% CI]) (0.15 [0.06, 0.25]) (primary objective, multivariable linear regression). For girls, the direct association was attenuated when sleep duration (0.12 [0.02, 0.22]), depressive symptoms (0.12 [0.02, 0.22]), body-weight satisfaction (0.07 [-0.02, 0.16]), and well-being (0.11 [0.01, 0.20]) were included (secondary objective, structural equation modelling). No associations were observed for boys and potential explanatory pathway variables were not examined. CONCLUSIONS In girls, high time spent on social media use (≥5 h/day) was positively associated with BMI z-score, and this association was partially explained by sleep duration, depressive symptoms, body-weight satisfaction, and well-being. Associations and attenuations between a self-reported summary variable of time spent on social media use and BMI z-score were small. Further research should examine whether time spent on social media use is related to other adolescent health metrics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Campbell Foubister
- UKCRC Centre for Diet and Activity Research (CEDAR) and MRC Epidemiology Unit, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | - Russell Jago
- Centre for Exercise, Nutrition & Health Sciences, School for Policy Studies, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK
- Population Health Sciences, Bristol Medical School, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK
| | - Stephen J Sharp
- UKCRC Centre for Diet and Activity Research (CEDAR) and MRC Epidemiology Unit, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | - Esther M F van Sluijs
- UKCRC Centre for Diet and Activity Research (CEDAR) and MRC Epidemiology Unit, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
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Kilb M, Giese H, Mata J. How eating-related social media postings influence healthy eating in senders and network members: Two field experiments with intensive longitudinal data. Appetite 2023; 182:106430. [PMID: 36549365 DOI: 10.1016/j.appet.2022.106430] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/28/2022] [Revised: 11/23/2022] [Accepted: 12/16/2022] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
Young adults are frequently confronted with eating-related social media content. How such exposure influences eating in those who post and their network members is largely unknown. We conducted two intensive longitudinal field experiments combining self-reports with social media data. The posting behavior of young adults was manipulated. We examined how postings about fruit and vegetables affected intake in senders and their network members (Study 1, N = 81) and in senders with a change goal (Study 2, N = 128). Potential mechanisms of action were explored. Descriptively, posting led to a stronger increase of senders' and network members' intake, but this increase was not statistically significant. Posting led to higher perceived social support and injunctive norms of senders (Study 1). Posting supported eating behavior change; the effect size was comparable to picture-based self-monitoring of intake (Study 2). Intraindividual variations in senders' daily eating-related social media activities were associated with daily eating behavior and perceived social support (both studies), daily self-efficacy, experiential and instrumental attitudes, and goal commitment (Study 2). Our studies underline that social media environments should be considered in research and interventions targeting eating behavior of young adults.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael Kilb
- Department of Psychology, School of Social Sciences, University of Mannheim, L13,17, 68161, Mannheim, Germany; Max Rubner-Institut, Federal Research Institute of Nutrition and Food, Department of Child Nutrition, Haid-und-Neu-Straße 9, 76131, Karlsruhe, Germany.
| | - Helge Giese
- Social Psychology and Decision Sciences, Department of Psychology, University of Konstanz, P.O. Box 43, 78457 Konstanz, Germany; Heisenberg Chair for Medical Risk Literacy and Evidence-based Decisions, Center for Anesthesiology and Intensive Care, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Charitéplatz 1, 10117 Berlin, Germany.
| | - Jutta Mata
- Department of Psychology, School of Social Sciences, University of Mannheim, L13,17, 68161, Mannheim, Germany; Mannheim Center for Data Science, University of Mannheim, L 5, 2, 68161, Mannheim, Germany; Center for Adaptive Rationality, Max Planck Institute for Human Development, Lentzeallee 94, 14195, Berlin, Germany.
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Davis T, Papies EK. Pleasure vs. identity: More eating simulation language in meat posts than plant-based posts on social media #foodtalk. Appetite 2022; 175:106024. [PMID: 35413378 DOI: 10.1016/j.appet.2022.106024] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/14/2021] [Revised: 03/13/2022] [Accepted: 03/27/2022] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Current levels of meat consumption in Western societies are unsustainable and contribute to the climate emergency. However, most people are not reducing their intake. Here, we examine the language used on social media to describe meat and plant-based foods, since the ways people think and communicate about food could hinder the transition towards sustainable eating. In two pre-registered studies, we analysed the degree to which the language in food posts on Instagram reflects eating simulations, which have been found to be associated with desire for appetitive stimuli. Specifically, thinking about or presenting foods or drinks in terms of rewarding simulations (i.e., re-experiences of enjoying their consumption) has been found to increase their appeal. Here, we analysed the words used in Instagram hashtags (NStudy1 = 852; NStudy2 = 3104) and caption text (NStudy1 = 682) to examine how much they refer to eating simulations (e.g., taste, texture, enjoyment, eating context) or to other food-related features (e.g., ingredients, preparation, health, category information). As hypothesized, meat posts contained more eating simulation hashtags than plant-based and vegetarian posts, which instead contained more eating-independent hashtags, for example referring to health or to vegan identity. Findings for the text words were generally in the same direction but much weaker. Thus, meat food posts contained hashtag language that is likely more appealing to mainstream consumers, because it refers to the enjoyable experience of eating the food, rather than the food being healthy or identity affirming. This pattern reflects polarisation surrounding sustainable foods, which may hinder the shift towards plant-based diets needed to curb climate change.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tess Davis
- School of Psychology and Neuroscience, University of Glasgow, UK.
| | - Esther K Papies
- School of Psychology and Neuroscience, University of Glasgow, UK
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Healthy vs. Unhealthy Food Images: Image Classification of Twitter Images. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2022; 19:ijerph19020923. [PMID: 35055742 PMCID: PMC8775411 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph19020923] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2021] [Revised: 01/10/2022] [Accepted: 01/10/2022] [Indexed: 12/07/2022]
Abstract
Obesity is a modern public health problem. Social media images can capture eating behavior and the potential implications to health, but research for identifying the healthiness level of the food image is relatively under-explored. This study presents a deep learning architecture that transfers features from a 152 residual layer network (ResNet) for predicting the level of healthiness of food images that were built using images from the Google images search engine gathered in 2020. Features learned from the ResNet 152 were transferred to a second network to train on the dataset. The trained SoftMax layer was stacked on top of the layers transferred from ResNet 152 to build our deep learning model. We then evaluate the performance of the model using Twitter images in order to better understand the generalizability of the methods. The results show that the model is able to predict the images into their respective classes, including Definitively Healthy, Healthy, Unhealthy and Definitively Unhealthy at an F1-score of 78.8%. This finding shows promising results for classifying social media images by healthiness, which could contribute to maintaining a balanced diet at the individual level and also understanding general food consumption trends of the public.
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