A Scoping Review of Observational Studies on Food and Beverage Advertising on Social Media: A Public Health Perspective

Juliana de Paula Matos, Michele Bittencourt Rodrigues, Camila Kümmel Duarte and Paula Martins Horta ()
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Juliana de Paula Matos: Department of Nutrition, Federal University of Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte 30130-100, MG, Brazil
Michele Bittencourt Rodrigues: Department of Nutrition, Federal University of Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte 30130-100, MG, Brazil
Camila Kümmel Duarte: Department of Nutrition, Federal University of Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte 30130-100, MG, Brazil
Paula Martins Horta: Department of Nutrition, Federal University of Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte 30130-100, MG, Brazil

IJERPH, 2023, vol. 20, issue 4, 1-22

Abstract: Popular social media platforms have been actively used by ultra-processed food companies to promote their products. Being exposed to this type of advertising increases the consumption of unhealthy foods and the risk of developing obesity and other non-communicable diseases (NCDs). Thus, monitoring commercial content on social media is a core public health practice. We aimed to characterize the methods used for monitoring food advertising on social media and summarize the investigated advertising strategies via a scoping review of observational studies. This study is reported according to the MOOSE Statement, and its protocol was registered with the PROSPERO International Prospective Register of Systematic Reviews (registration nº. CRD42020187740). Out of the 6093 citations retrieved, 26 met our eligibility criteria. The studies were published from 2014 to 2021, mostly after 2018. They focused on Australia, Facebook, strategies aimed at children and adolescents, and advertising practices of ultra-processed food companies. We grouped strategies in eight classes: post features (n = 18); connectivity and engagement (n = 18); economic advantages, gifts, or competitions (n = 14); claims (n = 14); promotional characters (n = 12); brand in evidence (n = 8); corporate social responsibility or philanthropy (n = 7); and COVID-19 (n = 3). We found similarities in the investigation of strategies regardless of the type of social media. Our findings can contribute to the designing of tools for monitoring studies and regulatory mechanisms to restrict the exposure of food advertising.

Keywords: food advertising; digital technology; social media; ultra-processed foods; scoping review (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2023
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