Food Trends and Eating Behaviors Among Adolescents: The Interplay of Social Media and Peer Influence on Health
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Background: Dietary behavior among adolescents and young adults is increasingly shaped by digital food exposure, social influence, taste preferences, emotional states, and changing food environments. Social media may encourage fast-food intake and food trend participation, while family and peer contexts may further influence daily food choices. Objective: To assess food trends and eating behaviors among students and evaluate the perceived influence of social media, family, peers, emotional states, and taste preferences on dietary choices. Methods: This quantitative cross-sectional study included 200 students from selected government and private educational institutions. Participants were recruited using convenience sampling and completed a structured questionnaire assessing demographic characteristics, meal patterns, beverage consumption, social media influence, emotional eating, peer and family influence, food trends, and usual food habits. Data were analyzed using SPSS version 20, and categorical variables were summarized as frequencies and percentages. Results: Most participants were aged 16–20 years and lived in urban areas. Social media influenced food and drink choices in 69.0%, encouraged trying new foods seen online in 73.5%, and contributed to increased fast-food and snack intake in 76.0%. Fast food was included fully or partially in the usual diet of 81.5%. Taste was the strongest reported driver of food choice (74.5%), followed by family eating habits (62.5%). Emotional eating was most commonly reported in relation to boredom and sadness or loneliness. Conclusion: Eating behaviors among students were influenced by social media, food trends, taste, family environment, peer-related eating, and emotional states. Student-focused nutrition education should address digital food literacy, healthier fast-food choices, beverage habits, and emotional eating awareness.
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