HMN 2025: How Social media sends blended messages on meals, study signifies

Popular consuming and meals problem movies throughout social media are saturated with messages that might promote disordered consuming and unrealistic physique requirements, new analysis reveals.

Led by Flinders University Ph.D. Candidate Phoebe Wu, the research analyzed 180 high-engagement movies throughout YouTube, TikTok and Chinese video-sharing website Bilibili, discovering constant patterns of their portrayal of meals consumption and physique look.

The paper, “‘Mind your determine! Watch, however do not eat’: A content material evaluation of consuming and appearance-related messages in consuming movies on social media,” is published within the journal Body Image.

“Over the final 10 years now we have seen an increase within the reputation of consuming problem movies throughout social media, starting from spicy meals challenges to extreme consumption clips often known as mukbangs,” says Ms. Wu, from Flinders’ Caring Futures Institute and the College of Nursing and Health Sciences.

“These movies are watched by tens of millions of viewers world wide, so it is essential we perceive how audiences interact with them and the way it impacts their views on meals consumption and physique picture.”

Conducting the primary content material evaluation of its form throughout video-sharing platforms, the group checked out what kinds of meals had been being consumed and the way, the physique kinds of the hosts, alongside analyzing the feedback and interactions of the viewers.

They discovered that almost three-quarters of the movies depicted overeating, with many additionally showcasing doubtlessly harmful behaviors reminiscent of consuming extraordinarily spicy or sugary meals or consuming extreme quantities of meals in a brief timeframe.

Despite this, virtually half of the movies featured thin-bodied hosts, with Bilibili movies almost certainly so as to add appearance-enhancing filters.

“Viewers are steadily watching people—particularly younger, skinny hosts—eat giant portions of meals with out obvious penalties,” says Ms. Wu.

“This can ship complicated and doubtlessly dangerous messages about consuming habits and physique picture, together with the suggestion of encouraging binge consuming and purging to take care of a slim construct.

“We had been in a position to see from the feedback and interactions that folks expressed envy in the direction of skinny hosts or commented on their very own weight objectives, which factors to a deep engagement with appearance-based comparisons.”

Similarities throughout the three platforms included mukbang being the most well-liked kind of video, a excessive proportion of skinny or average-sized our bodies and a propensity to point out savory greater than candy dishes.

However, clear variations throughout the platforms emerged, with YouTube almost certainly to depict excessive consuming behaviors, whereas TikTok movies usually concerned youthful, feminine hosts, and had been shorter in size with much less meals consumed.

Cultural variations additionally performed a task, with Asian savory meals naturally dominating Bilibili, whereas quick meals and Western-style consuming challenges had been extra frequent on YouTube.

“The prevalence of Asian hosts and Asian meals throughout all three platforms means that viewers from Asian backgrounds, no matter where they reside, could also be extra vulnerable to the affect of the movies on their consuming behaviors and physique picture,” says Ms. Wu.

“We have to take into accounts the cultural variations at play, in addition to the variations in platform options and consumer demographics, if we’re to assist viewers replicate critically on what they’re watching and defend them from potential hurt.”

The authors say whereas extra analysis is required, the research raises essential questions on how social media platforms regulate content material associated to meals, well being, and physique picture, particularly for youthful audiences.

“We had been in a position to see that these movies are extremely engaged with and have the potential to negatively impression viewers’ consuming conduct and physique picture and we should be aware of the impression ought to their reputation proceed,” says Ms. Wu.