Effect of Social Media on Food Choices of University Students

Abstract

Aim of the Study: This study examines the influence of social media on the food choices of undergraduate university students. The study's goal is to assess the percentage of junk food and healthy food consumption influenced by social media, as well as the effectiveness of various platforms such as Instagram, TikTok, Snapchat, YouTube, and Facebook on student food preferences.

Methodology: A questionnaire was used to conduct a quantitative survey, and 300 female participants were recruited from four government universities in Lahore, with 75 participants from each. The collected data was subjected to descriptive and bivariate analyses, which included the use of frequency percentages, bar graphs, and the Pearson Chi-square method.

Findings: The findings show that social media has a significant impact (93.3%) on undergraduate students' food choices, as supported by a p-value of 0.006. According to the study, social media influences 81% of junk food consumption, while 93% of respondents reported being influenced by social media to consume healthy food. Instagram was discovered to be the most effective platform in shaping students' food preferences (48.3%), followed by YouTube (38%), and TikTok (6%). Snapchat (4.7% effectiveness) and Facebook (3%) were discovered to be the least effective.

Conclusion: These results underscore the significance of social media in shaping healthy eating habits, as well as the importance of public health initiatives and policy decisions concerning the depiction and promotion of healthy food on social media platforms. This study contribute to the body of evidence establishing a link between social media and food preferences.