Kids and Social Media

Social Media Influencers May Encourage Unhealthy Eating In Children, Study Suggests.

NPR (3/4, Neighmond) reports new research indicates social media influencers can encourage children to make unhealthy eating choices. In the study of 176 children aged nine to 11, researchers found that children who watched social media influencers consume unhealthy snacks “consumed 32 percent more calories from unhealthy snacks compared with the children who viewed no food being eaten,” or about 90 calories. The piece quotes Dr. Natalie Muth, a spokesperson for the American Academy of Pediatrics, as saying, “It only takes an extra 70 calories a day for a child of normal weight to become overweight.” The findings were published in the journal Pediatrics.

Information about the ADA’s nutrition-related activities is available at ADA.org/nutrition. Dentists can refer patients to MouthHealthy.org, ADA’s consumer website, for up-to-date and evidenced-based information about nutrition.