Social media has become a staple in many people’s lives and has become one of the most used platforms for teenagers to spread eating entertainment. Users can scroll for hours, watching video after video. With the extensive amount of media consumed, users tend to find themselves influenced by the actions of the creators they watch, which can include unhealthy content that will have a negative impact on viewers’ lives.
One of the common ways viewers find themselves influenced is through their eating habits. Junior Isaac Ishimatsu shared that the power of persuasion online creators have over viewers only grows with the increasing popularity of social media. He finds himself inspired by the content he consumes, making him want to try new foods.
“Just last night, I saw a recipe on TikTok for something called an onion boil, and I decided to try it,” Ishimatsu said. “I will often see things online, such as restaurants, recipes, and I’ll want to try them.”
Some businesses thrive on the power of influence, driven by their popularity online. Ishimatsu noted that establishments such as Crumbl Cookie and Starbucks have been in the spotlight for quite some time, and their success is largely backed by their social media presence.
“Crumbl Cookie thrives on being trendy online and trendy on TikTok, which definitely influenced people to try Crumbl, especially since they change their flavors every week,” Ishimatsu said. “Everyone will try all the flavors of the week, or try a secret menu item at Starbucks. People always have things to try.”
Many food fads have gained online popularity through influencers. Junior Alyssa Horne observed that chamoy pickles are now popular. They are made with pickles soaked in a mixture containing chamoy and tajin then wrapped in a fruit roll up and stuffed with condiments like Takis and sour straws.
Horne noted that the popularity surrounding the snack often disregards the unhealthy ingredients and the reality of their harmful consumption. Additionally, she mentioned that many people make profit off of selling kits to make the chamoy pickles, which creates easy access to harmful ingredients.
“You could actually buy the kit. It was really bad because you can just wrap the pickle in all this spicy and sour food, and red 40. It’s really unhealthy,” Horne said. “They make it so easy to buy it. Anyone can try it.”
Promoting the starvation of oneself or under consumption, however, can create the illusion that certain eating habits are not harmful. Social science teacher Derrick Eszlinger has noticed that younger generations are susceptible to picking up negative routines.
“They (some content creators) look a certain way because of their habits, and if they’re struggling with an eating disorder, then they’re going to look a certain way for a reason,” Eszlinger said. “It’s hard for younger kids to see why somebody might look that way and understand that it is a negative habit causing that. They just see the end product.”
Many feel that influencers overlook the role of metabolic differences in their videos. Senior Devin Ngo observed that different amounts of food affect people differently, depending on factors such as metabolism speed and exercise levels.
“I think if you’re exercising on a daily basis, then the benefits of eating large amounts of food affect you differently than someone who doesn’t exercise on a daily basis,” Ngo said.
Not all content surrounding food, however, pushes negative habits. Many users promote alternative recipes, showing viewers more organic substitutes that can help them become healthier. Horne shared that healthier food content gives her inspiration and helps users form better eating habits.
“Whenever I see those (healthy eating videos), it gives me ideas on how I can switch things to be healthier. It does have a positive influence, but it’s not as widely recognized,” Horne said.
Furthermore, Ngo noted that influencers such as Nara Smith who only promote healthy recipes and habits grow imagination in younger viewers to build more beneficial routines.
“I think people like Nara Smith that create food from scratch with more organic ingredients will inspire younger people to want to make their own food and live a healthier lifestyle,” Ngo said. “I think that’s good because it will help people express creativity.”
Countless videos are uploaded onto social media on a daily basis, which can make it difficult to navigate factual and positive information from harmful and incorrect information. Eszlinger believes that influencers should do their part in creating a safer environment online with more accurate information and realistic representation of what eating really looks like.
“It’s tough to get all the information you need in a minute and thirty seconds,” Eszlinger said. “I think that as an influencer, you should be aware of the influence that you have and take a little bit more time to explain that this might not be for everybody.”