Social Media Use Linked to Poor Adolescent Diets

The following is excerpted from an online article posted by MedicalXpress.

Poor dietary habits in adolescence—lots of sweets, sugary drinks or skipping breakfast—is directly linked to overusing social media, University of Queensland research has found.

Associate Professor Asaduzzaman Khan from UQ’s School of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences led a team that analyzed data from the Health Behavior in School-Aged Children survey involving 222,865 adolescents from 41 countries. The findings are published in the journal Pediatric Research.

“This is the first multi-national study to offer insights into how social media behaviors are linked to adolescents’ dietary choices,”‘ Dr. Khan said.

“As social media use continues to rise, it’s important to access what potential harm its use may be doing to our kids.”‘

The study examined social media use that was defined as excessive (frequent or extended use), or problematic (mirroring addiction-like symptoms with compulsive and uncontrollable behavior).

Both types were associated with lower breakfast intake and higher consumption of sweets and sugary foods and drinks.

The research also analyzed fruit and vegetable consumption, finding problematic social media use was associated with a lower fruit and vegetable intake, with adolescents in this category possibly engaging in mindless eating of unhealthy snacks while scrolling, with limited time for meal preparation.

Conversely, excessive use was linked to a higher intake of fruit and vegetables that may be due to the influence of health-conscious influencers, nutritionists, and fitness enthusiasts, the study reported.

Source: MedicalXpress
https://medicalxpress.com/news/2025-04-social-media-linked-poor-adolescent.html