Evidence map›Paper›PMID 38605322›Full record

ArticleThe international journal of behavioral nutrition and physical activity2024

#junkfluenced: the marketing of unhealthy food and beverages by social media influencers popular with Canadian children on YouTube, Instagram and TikTok.

Monique Potvin Kent, Mariangela Bagnato, Ashley Amson, Lauren Remedios, Meghan Pritchard, Soulene Sabir, Grace Gillis, Elise Pauzé, Lana Vanderlee, Christine White and 1 more

Open access · goldAbstract read
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Article in The international journal of behavioral nutrition and physical activity, 2024. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 15 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
15citing papers in PubMed
50.3field-weighted citation impact, top 1% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

15 citing papers in PubMed, 24 citations in OpenAlex.

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4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

11 authors at 3 institutions in 1 country.

Monique Potvin KentSchool of Epidemiology and Public Health, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, Canada. mpk@rogers.com.
Mariangela BagnatoSchool of Epidemiology and Public Health, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, Canada.
Ashley AmsonInterdisciplinary School of Health Sciences, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, Canada.
Lauren RemediosSchool of Epidemiology and Public Health, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, Canada.
Meghan PritchardSchool of Epidemiology and Public Health, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, Canada.
Soulene SabirSchool of Epidemiology and Public Health, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, Canada.
Grace GillisSchool of Epidemiology and Public Health, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, Canada.
Elise PauzéInterdisciplinary School of Health Sciences, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, Canada.
Lana VanderleeSchool of Nutrition, Centre NUTRISS (Nutrition, Santé, Société), Institute of Nutrition and Functional Foods, Université Laval, Québec, Québec, Canada.
Christine WhiteSchool of Public Health Sciences, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, ON, Canada.
David HammondSchool of Public Health Sciences, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, ON, Canada.
University of Ottawa · CAUniversity of Waterloo · CAUniversité Laval · CA

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundMarketing of unhealthy foods to children on digital media significantly impacts their dietary preferences and contributes to diet-related noncommunicable diseases. Canadian children spend a significant amount of time on digital devices and are frequently exposed to unhealthy food marketing on social media, including by influencers with celebrity status who endorse products. This study aimed to examine the frequency, healthfulness, and power of unhealthy food marketing in posts by influencers popular with Canadian children on YouTube, Instagram and TikTok.

methodsThe top 9 influencers popular amongst Canadian children aged 10-12 years were identified from the 2021 International Food Policy Study Youth Survey. A total of 2,232 Instagram, YouTube and TikTok posts made by these influencers between June 1st 2021 and May 31st 2022 were examined for instances of food marketing. Food products/brands were identified and frequencies were calculated for the number of posts promoting food products/brands, posts promoting products/brands classified as less healthy according to Health Canada's Nutrient Profile Model (2018) and marketing techniques utilized.

resultsYouTube had the highest average rate of food marketing instances per post, at a rate of 1 food marketing instance every 0.7 posts, while TikTok and Instagram had instances every 10.2 posts and 19.3 posts, respectively. Overall, fast food restaurants was the most promoted food category (21%), followed by regular soft drinks (13%), snacks (11%), candy and chocolate (11%) and water (8%). The most frequently used marketing techniques were appeals to fun/cool (37%), the use of songs or music (28%) and the product being consumed (25%). In terms of healthfulness, 83% of the products/brands (87% of brands and 82% of products) promoted were classified as less healthy.

conclusionsSocial media influencers play a substantial role in promoting unhealthy food products to children, primarily fast food items. Given the significant impact of such marketing on children, there is a need for ongoing government-led monitoring, and it is crucial to include social media and influencer marketing in marketing restrictions targeting children in Canada to safeguard this vulnerable demographic.

Indexed as

Social MediaAdolescentBeveragesCanadaChildFast FoodsFoodHumansInternetMarketingChildrenDigital mediaFood environmentSocial media influencersUnhealthy food marketing

Identifiers

PMID38605322
PMCPMC11010392
OpenAlexW4394716245

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.