Are TikTok challenges leading people to eat more junk food? Brands selling ultraprocessed foods and drinks have apparently found some new employees to handle their marketing on social media—TikTok users.
An investigation published in BMJ Global Health reveals that users of the TikTok social media platform, especially children, were being encouraged to market unhealthful food and drink products by various brands, turning them into what can be considered unofficial “brand ambassadors.”
For the study, researchers examined the TikTok videos of 16 leading food and nonalcoholic drink brands based on their global brand share and the instigation of branded hashtag challenges. The total collective views of user-generated content studied from single challenges ranged from 12.7 million to 107.9 billion. Branded hashtag challenges encouraged users to create their own content featuring the brand’s products.
Overall, the study included 539 videos posted on the 16 company accounts between 2019 and 2021. Three in four (73%) portrayed these products in a positive light, with only 3% presenting a negative opinion. The evidence shows that this type of exposure ultimately influences viewers food preferences, buying habits, and, in the end, overall diet. Researchers believe stronger policies are needed to protect people, especially children, from food marketing on popular social media sites like TikTok that promotes junk food.
See also: Food on Social Media
Matthew Kadey, MS, RD
Matthew Kadey, MS, RD, is a James Beard Award–winning food journalist, dietitian and author of the cookbook Rocket Fuel: Power-Packed Food for Sport + Adventure (VeloPress 2016). He has written for dozens of magazines, including Runner’s World, Men’s Health, Shape, Men’s Fitness and Muscle and Fitness.
