Digital Food Marketing on Social Networking Sites: Exposure, Engagement, and association with Overweight/Obesity among Medical Students in An Egyptian University

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

1 Department of Community, Environmental and Occupational Medicine , Faculty of Medicine, Ain Shams University, Cairo, Egypt.

2 Department of community, environmental and occupational medicine, Faculty of medicine, Ain Shams University, Cairo, Egypt.

3 Abbassia Beside El Nour Mosque - Cairo Egypt

Abstract

Background: Digital food marketing on social networking sites (SNS) can significantly impact young people’s food choices and increase consumption of unhealthy foods, snacking, and disordered eating behaviors. Objective: To describe the SNS use patterns, exposure to, and engagement with SNS food marketing among medical students. Methods: A cross-sectional study was carried out on a convenience sample of 706 medical students. An online survey was used to collect sociodemographic data, type, and frequency of SNS use. Five-point Likert scale questions were used to measure the levels of exposure to and engagement with SNS food marketing. Results: Participants were mostly females (57.93%), with a mean age of 20.77±1.98 years. Out of 706 participants, 157 (22.2%) reported daily exposure to any SNS food marketing, and 190 (26.9%) fell in the high engagement category. Daily exposure to food marketing was significantly associated with daily SNS use for two hours or more (p=0.006). Earlier age of onset of SNS use, number of SNS accounts, and two hours or more of daily SNS use were associated with higher engagement (p

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