How does TikTok shape young peoples' dietary preferences?
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Research in the International Journal of Consumer Studies reveals that TikTok functions as a powerful tool for shaping consumers' food preferences and behaviors through the use of algorithmic mechanisms, social influence, and users' emotional engagement.
The study, which was based on an online survey conducted in 2025 among 406 active TikTok users, found that the platform affects dietary preferences through various channels of influence.
"Nowadays, young people are aligning most of their dietary habits with the content they might see in social media,” said corresponding author Artur Strzelecki, PhD, of the University of Economics in Katowice, located in Poland. “Culinary trends presented on TikTok’s videos can determine what young people will eat, which food places they visit, and how they evaluate presented recipes."
Seven hypotheses were supported by survey results, indicating that each of the following likely influence attitudes and behaviors around food: the perceived usefulness of TikTok; the platform's entertainment content; the virality of culinary recipes; influencers' reviews of dining venues; social influence (opinions of family, friends, and coworkers); bonds with content creators; and users' attitudes toward culinary trends.
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