The Association Between Social Media Usage on Food Choice Motivations and Dietary Carbon Footprints in Adolescents: A Cross-Sectional Study

Abstract

Highlights: Public health relevance—How does this work relate to a public health issue? This study addresses the intersecting public health topics of adolescent nutrition and environmental sustainability by exploring the potential associations between digital media use and dietary carbon footprints. It highlights social media as a relevant digital environment that may relate to adolescents’ food choice motivations and their everyday dietary behaviors. Public health significance—Why is this work of significance to public health? The findings suggest a modest inverse association between health-oriented food choices and dietary carbon footprints, aligning with the “One Health” framework. The research indicates that usage of different social media platforms is associated with varying food choice motivations, such as weight control or ethical concerns, particularly among female adolescents. Public health implications—What are the key implications or messages for practitioners, policy makers and/or researchers in public health? Public health practitioners could consider the role of social media platforms when developing nutrition education strategies aimed at promoting both personal and planetary health. Policymakers and dietitians should be mindful that interventions encouraging sustainable, lower-carbon diets require careful planning to prevent potential nutrient inadequacies during adolescent development. Social media has become a prominent digital environment associated with adolescents’ food preferences and the environmental impacts of their diets. This study aimed to examine the relationship between social media usage habits, food choice motivations, and the environmental impact of the diet, specifically the carbon footprint, in adolescents. This cross-sectional study was conducted with 216 adolescents aged 14–18 years in Istanbul between January and April 2025. Data were collected using the Food Choice Questionnaire (FCQ) and a 24 h dietary recall. The dietary carbon footprint was calculated by mapping 24 h dietary recall data to emission factors from the Data FIELDS database and scientific literature. Of the participants, 60.6% were female. Females had significantly higher rates of being influenced by social media in food choices (p < 0.001) and total FCQ scores (p = 0.025) compared to males. Regarding social media platforms, TikTok usage was associated with higher ethical concern and mood scores (p < 0.001), while Instagram usage was associated with weight control (p = 0.012). Daily internet use of 180 min was associated with higher price (p = 0.001) and weight control (p = 0.003) motivations. Notably, a significant negative correlation was found between health motivation and carbon footprint (r = −0.173, p = 0.011). Multivariate regression analysis confirmed that an increase in health score was associated with a reduction in carbon footprint (β = −0.204, p = 0.003), independent of gender, BMI, and social media influence. Social media platforms serve as a relevant digital environment associated with adolescents’ food preferences. The finding that health-oriented choices are associated with lower carbon footprints indicates that promoting healthy eating on social media will benefit both individual and planetary health. © 2026 by the authors.