New research has revealed people trying to resist their food cravings use social media content featuring indulgent treats as a substitute for eating the real thing.
The study, led by the University of Bristol in the UK, challenges the belief that being shown visuals of tempting unhealthy foods encourages people to indulge in eating them.
Study lead author Dr Esther Kang, Lecturer in Marketing at the University of Bristol, said: “It may sound counterintuitive, but our findings show that people, particularly those trying to control their diet, can use visual food content as a self-regulation tool. Engaging with food imagery may help satisfy cravings without actual consumption.
“In today’s digital environment, where food content is highly accessible, this type of visual engagement may offer a simple and non-invasive way to support dietary goals.”
The research, in collaboration with the University at Buffalo School of Management, The State University of New York in the US, conducted three experiments involving a total of 840 participants aged between 19 to 77, combining two online surveys and a controlled laboratory study.
In one experiment, participants viewed short videos on social media depicting both high-calorie and low-calorie chocolate desserts. Dieters spent 30% longer viewing the indulgent option compared to non-dieters. However, when later given access to real chocolates presented in a bowl, dieters consumed significantly less chocolate than non-dieters, suggesting that prior visual exposure may have reduced their desire to indulge.
Dr Kang said: “The dieters clearly embraced this form of ‘digital foraging’, spending more time looking at the indulgent dessert. Furthermore, contrary to what might be expected, when given the chance to really have some chocolate they exercised much more self-control than the non-dieters.”
Another experiment exposed a group of dieters and non-dieters to short videos depicting junk food like pizza and hamburger and chips alongside images of video clips on social media platforms displaying healthy food options, such as salad, yoghurt and smoothies. Findings showed the dieters were much more likely to look at the unhealthy food imagery and ‘consumed’ the content for on average around 50% longer.
Study co-author Dr Arun Lakshmanan, Associate Professor of Marketing in the University at Buffalo School of Management, explained: “We refer to this process as ‘cross-modal satiation’. People can partially satisfy their desire to eat by consuming food visually rather than physically. This helps explain why engaging with food content on social media does not always translate into increased consumption.”
The study cites that around 60% of women and 40% of men in the US are on a diet, generating a weight loss industry worth an estimated US$257 billion.
Dr Kang added: “Weight loss is a huge business. Our study results suggest there may be a vast array of free online material which could assist people who are trying to resist their unhealthy cravings and steer clear of such treats. While we’re of course not claiming imagery could wholly replace the desire to eat chocolate or other indulgent foods, they could perhaps help people who are watching their calorie intake to reduce or avoid overindulgence.”
Paper
‘Feeding on screens, not on plates: The paradoxical impact of unhealthy food content in digital media’ by E. Kang and A. Lakshmanan in Computers in Human Behavior
