Abstract:
Background: Food advertising is a pervasive and influential form of media that has a significant effect on consumer’s behavior, particularly among adolescent. With the rise in adolescent obesity rate and associated health concerns as well as use of social media, understanding the relationship between media food advertising and unhealthy food consumption is crucial.
Objective: This study aims to understand the association of unhealthy food consumption and media food advertisement and other associated factors on high school students in Lemi Kura sub city Addis Ababa Ethiopia.
Method; A cross-sectional study was performed on 620 students aged 14-19 from high school in Lemi Kura sub city Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, in 2024. A binary logistic regression analysis has employed to examine the relationship between the outcome variable and independent variables such as sex variables, socio economic status, type and duration of media exposed (TV or Internet). Those variables found to be significant with a P-value of <0.25 in the binary logistic regression analysis was entered into multivariable logistic regression model and statistical significance was consider at P value of <0.05.
Result: a total of 620 study participants (322 from private and 279 government high schools) were evaluated. The percentage of adolescent’s unhealthy food consumption was 75.8 % with 95% CI. Owning smart phone with AOR=1.68 (95% CI, 1.01-2.799,) p=0.044), Allowed to have pocket money AOR; 1.6 (95% CI, 1.01-2.54), p =0.04 and students who affected by food advertisement [AOR=1.78 (95% CI, 1.06-3.012) p=0.029] were significantly associated with unhealthy food consumption. Although time spent on screen was heavy among students, there were no significant difference found between consumption and time spent on social media or internet.
Conclusion
This study highlights the significance of social media in relation to adolescent unhealthy eating. Health practitioners have the chance to utilize social media to promote nutritious eating options to teenagers. The pervasive advertising unhealthy foods and beverages require policy action for healthy environment.