Influencers among children and young people mainly present unhealthy food on YouTube. The majority of the products shown contain a lot of fat, sugar and salt, according to the MedUni Vienna. A research team has now analyzed 162 videos from seven German-speaking influencers.
There are a total of 901 performances and 33.8 hours of material. Their research found that two-thirds (67 percent) of the products presented contained too much fat, sugar and salt and therefore did not meet the World Health Organization (WHO) nutritional profiles. These serve as a basis for assessing marketing to children.
According to MedUni Vienna, chocolate and other confectionery dominate the videos. But other products classified as unhealthy by the WHO are also presented in a child-friendly manner significantly more often than healthy food. Additionally, the unhealthy products received more positive reviews and verbal responses.
“These subtle product presentations have a significant impact on their eating habits and preferences and increase the risk of developing overweight and obesity and their secondary diseases,” warned study leader Eva Winzer from the Center for Public Health.
There would also be advertising for certain brands, although paid advertising in child-friendly content is officially banned on the YouTube platform. The researchers call for more studies and independent monitoring to evaluate the long-term consequences. A digital environment should support healthy eating.
“In addition to the discussion about the regulation of marketing to children, measures to promote media literacy are also essential. At the same time, the influencers themselves and the food industry must be held increasingly accountable to enable sustainable change,” the report said. The study was published in the journal “BMC Public Health”.
Source: Krone
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