Social media use to enhance children’s diets: the case of Lebanese mothers

This study investigates the influence of observational learning and modeling on behaviors, especially how the mothers’ use of social media can enhance children’s diets, based on a Lebanese case study. It mainly examines the extent to which mothers who frequently engage with platforms such as TikTok and Instagram actively search for, select and use nutritious lunch box recipes while preparing their children’s meals, in comparison to those who use these platforms less frequently. Using quantitative and qualitative research methodologies, this study relies on findings obtained from conducting a survey and a semi-structured one-on-one interview. The results indicate that mothers heavily depend on social media to obtain nutritional information and ideas for meals. Moreover, participants demonstrated a heightened interest in healthy recipes after being exposed to carefully selected content through algorithmic elements. The empirical data strongly aligns with the presented literature, emphasizing the substantial influence of social media on parental behaviors and eating decisions, and intends to raise awareness on how media use can affect positively and/or negatively behaviors, and ultimately lifestyles.