Influence of Social Media Food Trends on Eating Behavior and Nutrient Intake: A Cross-Sectional Study Among Young Social Media Users in Pakistan

Abstract

Social media has become a major source of food-related information among young adults, raising concerns about its influence on eating behavior and nutrient intake, with limited evidence from South Asia. This study examined the relationship between social media food-trend exposure and eating behavior, and its association with nutrient-related dietary intake among young Pakistani social media users. A cross-sectional study of 214 social media users aged 15–35 years was conducted using convenience sampling. A structured, pre-tested questionnaire assessed demographics, social media exposure, eating behavior, and dietary intake; data were analyzed using chi-square tests and Spearman correlation. Daily social media use was reported by 91.4% of respondents, and 60.1% viewed food-related content often or very often; 55.3% agreed social media affects their food choices and 56.5% reported increased snacking. Viewing food content was associated with trending-food consumption and snacking (p < 0.01). Following influencers was associated with trying trending foods (χ² = 40.23, p < 0.001) and preferring trendy over home-cooked food (p = 0.012). Overall influence correlated positively with fast-food (rₛ = 0.24, p = 0.001) and sugary drink/dessert consumption (rₛ = 0.15, p = 0.049) but not fruit and vegetable intake (p = 0.565). Fast-food consumption was significantly higher among males than females (p = 0.008). These findings show that social media food trends exert a measurable influence on the eating behavior of young Pakistani adults, with dietary associations skewed toward energy-dense, nutrient-poor foods rather than fruits and vegetables, underscoring the need for nutrition literacy and platform-level interventions.