The impact of the social media industry as a commercial determinant of health on the digital food environment for children and adolescents
A scoping review
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 21880249 |
|---|---|
| Authors | Jesse Lafontaine (0000-0002-6043-6063, University of Alberta), Isabel Hanson (0009-0006-8356-2907, University of Oxford), Cervantée E K Wild (0000-0001-5377-6222, University of Auckland), Cervantee Wild (University of Oxford) |
| Year | 2025 |
| Volume | 10 |
| Issue | 2 |
| Pages | e014667 |
| Publication date | 2025-02-01 |
| Peer Reviewed | Yes |
| Open Access | Yes |
| Type | ARTICLE |
| Venue | BMJ Global Health (JOURNAL) |
| Journal identifiers | ISSN: 2059-7908 • E-ISSN: 2059-7908 |
| Publisher | BMJ (PUBLISHER • GB) |
| DOI | 10.1136/bmjgh-2023-014667 |
| PMID | 39971584 |
| OpenAlex | W4407728140 |
| Language | EN |
| Citations received | 8 |
| References cited | 55 |
INTRODUCTION: There is emerging evidence that the social media industry contributes to adverse health outcomes by shaping the digital food environment for children and adolescents (aged 0-18). The aim of this scoping review was to determine the extent of research on how the social media industry, including the broader online landscape, influences the digital food environment and affects child and adolescent health. METHODS: A scoping review was conducted in the electronic databases of PubMed, Scopus and PsycINFO, along with forward and reverse citation searching for peer-reviewed articles published in English between 2000 and May 2023. A qualitative descriptive synthesis of the included articles was performed to identify trends, themes and research gaps in the current literature. RESULTS: The review identified 36 articles for inclusion. Most research was conducted in high-income countries and publications have increased since 2021. The review found most children and adolescents are exposed to food advertisements on social media and most advertised food is ultra-processed. Heightened by a lack of social media advertising awareness, digital food marketing influences children and youth's consumption and food behaviour. Voluntary children's food marketing regulations are ineffective for the online environment. Countering unhealthy food marketing will require media literacy and government regulation. CONCLUSION: The social media industry may act as a commercial determinant of health to shape the digital food environment as an extension of the obesogenic environment. Further research should explore approaches to monitor unhealthy food marketing practices and understand social media's role in the digital food environment
Advertising · Business · Digital media · Food marketing · Health care · Health literacy · MEDLINE · Political science · PsycINFO · Public relations · Scopus · Social marketing · Social media · Consumer Attitudes and Food Labeling · Digital Marketing and Social Media · Mobile Health and mHealth Applications · Psychology · Marketing
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Exploring Socioeconomic Disparities in Adults’ Interactions with the Digital Food Environment
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Seeing oneself in the feed
Digital food advertising exposure and perceptions among school-age children
Understanding Persuasive Communication Strategies of Online Social Influencers through the Lens of Sociology and Decision Neuroscience
Contemporary digital marketing techniques used in unhealthy food campaigns targeting young people
Children and adolescents' exposure to food and beverage marketing in social media apps
Commercial determinants of health
Dissecting Obesogenic Environments
Profits and pandemics
Childhood obesity
The commercial determinants of health
Food Environment Typology
Association of Food and Nonalcoholic Beverage Marketing With Children and Adolescents’ Eating Behaviors and Health
Childhood obesity
Defining and conceptualising the commercial determinants of health
The global obesity pandemic
Food Promotion and Children's Health
The commercialization of social media stars
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A systematic review and meta-analysis of discrepancies between logged and self-reported digital media use
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Prevalence and correlates of US adult public opinion on restricting junk food advertising to children on social media
Adolescent exposure to food and beverage marketing on social media by gender
The effectiveness of self-regulation in limiting the advertising of unhealthy foods and beverages on children’s preferred websites in Canada
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Disconnected in a pandemic
Social Media and Teens
| Unique citing works | 8 |
|---|---|
| Citations per year | 8 |
| Citation span | 2025 - 2026 (2) |
| Citation velocity | current |
| Highly cited | No |
| Citation types | Neutral: 6 |