Irish teenagers are exposed to an average of 19 advertisements for unhealthy foods each hour they spend on social media, according to a study released Tuesday by Safefood, the all-Ireland food safety promotion board.
The research estimates that teenagers who use social media for just two hours daily encounter approximately 11,000 such marketing posts annually. Nutrient profiling indicates that 96% of the foods promoted on these platforms would be classified as unsuitable for marketing to children under World Health Organisation guidelines.
The study, commissioned by Safefood, revealed that children encounter unhealthy food marketing online every four minutes. Teenagers view advertisements from influencers for five times longer than traditional paid advertisements, according to reporting from RTÉ.
“These exposure rates are striking,” the study stated, adding that the volume of exposure “could cause severe harm to children’s health over time.”
Safefood Chief Executive Joanne Uí Chrualaoich told RTÉ that the study “shows for the first time on the island of Ireland the volume of unhealthy food marketing children see online.”
Researchers noted that the figures likely underestimate the total digital exposure of adolescents to unhealthy food marketing, as the study did not include examination of mobile game advertisements, food delivery apps, or online gaming platforms.
The study also found that parents are largely unaware of the extent and nature of digital food marketing their children encounter online, despite observing enjoyment and appetite in their children as a result of viewing it.
According to Classic Hits, adolescents engage with 44% of influencer posts.
