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The influence of social media on eating behaviour

Kate Dearling examines some key research on this socially sensitive topic

Psychologists know a lot about the effect of advertising unhealthy foods to children. For example, watching TV adverts for unhealthy foods increases children’s food intake of high fat foods by 14% more than when watching TV adverts for toys (Halford et al. 2007). We also know that seeing celebrities endorse unhealthy foods increases children’s preference for these foods. As a consequence of these research findings, regulations for advertising unhealthy foods to children (on broadcast and non-broadcast media and print) have been put in place.

People are spending increasing amounts of time viewing social media online, with sites such as Facebook, Instagram and Tumblr becoming more popular every year. Most social media sites put age restrictions on sign up, but that doesn’t prevent many young children from being active on these sites.

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Can psychology save the world?

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Learning from mum

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