Social media influencers: Do they shape the nutrition behaviours of adolescents?

Abstract

Background: The obesity prevalence amongst South African children and adolescents is increasing rapidly every year, with a predicted prevalence of 27.14% by 2030. This increases their obesity associated health risks, such as hypertension, diabetes and heart disease. Adolescents are at a vulnerable life stage where they are easily influenced in an attempt to fit in with their peers, and social media provides a plethora of easily available trending content that adolescents can incorporate into their lives to appease their peers. With the increasing popularity of social media, social media marketing has opened up a new, more intimate way for the food and beverage industry to reach this young audience.