The Influence of Social Media Food Marketing and Digital Nutrition Information on Dietary Behaviours and Health Inequities

Social Media Food Marketing has dramatically transformed how dietary information is disseminated and consumed, creating both opportunities and challenges in the nutrition landscape. The proliferation of food and beverage marketing on social media platforms reaches vast audiences, influencing dietary choices and behaviors through targeted advertisements and viral content. Meanwhile, the quality and accessibility of digital nutrition information remain inconsistent, leading to misinformation that can skew public understanding of healthy eating. The latest research highlights the pervasive nature of social media influences, particularly among adolescents and young adults, who are more susceptible to digital content, but significant gaps remain regarding how these influences manifest across different demographic groups and contribute to health inequities.This Research Topic aims to explore the intersection of social media marketing and digital nutrition information with dietary behaviors and health disparities. By investigating the mechanisms by which digital platforms shape food choices and examining the differential impacts on diverse populations, the research will delineate the opportunities and pitfalls posed by the digital nutrition environment. Additionally, it seeks to analyze the policy and ethical considerations needed to mitigate the adverse effects of digital marketing and misinformation, thereby promoting healthier, more equitable nutritional behaviors across populations. The overarching objective is to provide a comprehensive understanding of how digital phenomena contribute to existing health inequities and propose actionable strategies to address them.To gather further insights into the influence of digital platforms on dietary health disparities, we welcome articles addressing, but not limited to, the following themes:• The role of social media as a marketing environment for food and beverages.• The impact of exposure to social media food advertisements on adolescents and young adults.• The efficacy and challenges of digital public health nutrition campaigns.• Associations between social media exposure and ultra-processed food consumption.• Differential health impacts of digital nutrition marketing based on socioeconomic status and ethnicity.• Policies and regulations governing digital nutrition information and food marketing.• The role of platform governance and industry self-regulation in online nutrition messaging. Topic editors: Cristina González-Díaz, José Miguel Martínez Sanz, Ágoston Temesi Source: https://www.frontiersin.org/research-topics/76206/the-influence-of-social-media-food-marketing-and-digital-nutrition-information-on-dietary-behaviours-and-health-inequities