The Influence of Digital Food Marketing on Children's and Adolescents' Food Choices

Authors

  • Prananingrum Kinasih Universitas Internasional Batam
  • Miftahul Jannah Universitas Internasional Batam
  • Wahyu Aulia Hasibuan Universitas Internasional Batam
  • Dame Afrina Sihombing Universitas Internasional Batam
  • Trioni Widyastuti STIKes Husada Borneo

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.36568/jone.v4i3.770

Keywords:

adolescents, children, digital food marketing, food choices

Abstract

The prevalence of overweight and obesity among children and adolescents continues to rise, partly driven by high consumption of foods high in fat, sugar, and salt. The evolution of the digital landscape has shifted food marketing toward social media, algorithm-based advertising, influencer content, and advergames, thereby increasing exposure to such marketing. This narrative review aims to synthesize the evidence on how digital food marketing strategies influence food choices and consumption behaviors among children and adolescents. Literature searches were conducted on the ScienceDirect and SpringerLink databases and limited to english language articles published between 2020 and 2026. Fifteen articles including primary and secondary research studies and reviews met the inclusion criteria and were analyzed using a narrative review approach. The results of the synthesis indicate that children and adolescents are heavily exposed to digital food marketing across various platforms. This marketing is delivered through increasingly personalized AI based techniques, influencer support, and peer-to-peer marketing. Such exposure has consistently been linked to higher brand awareness, strong food cravings, and a stronger preference for foods high in fat, sugar, and salt. This drives demand for unhealthy food products. Digital food marketing can influence children’s and adolescents’ responses to food, including brand awareness, food cravings, preferences, and food intake. Strengthening regulations on digital food marketing, along with digital media literacy and nutrition education, is necessary to create a healthier digital food environment.

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Published

2026-08-28

How to Cite

Kinasih, P., Jannah, M., Hasibuan, W. A., Sihombing, D. A., & Widyastuti, T. (2026). The Influence of Digital Food Marketing on Children’s and Adolescents’ Food Choices. Journal of Nutrition Explorations, 4(3), 507–524. https://doi.org/10.36568/jone.v4i3.770

Issue

Vol. 4 No. 3 (2026): August

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Articles

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Copyright (c) 2026 Prananingrum Kinasih, Miftahul Jannah, Wahyu Aulia Hasibuan, Dame Afrina Sihombing, Trioni Widyastuti

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