The influence of hyperreality social media on adolescent food and beverage choices: A preliminary study

Social media has become an essential aspect of our lives, especially for adolescents, in this digital age. Platforms like Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, and many more have created a hyperreal world that blurs the line between reality and fantasy. This can have significant consequences, particularly when it comes to adolescents' food and beverage choices. This initial study aims to examine how hyperreality in social media influences adolescents' food and beverage choices. The study used surveys and focus group discussions to gather information from 20 adolescents aged 13-18. Participants had to be active users of social media platforms. The study's findings indicate that exposure to hyperreal social media content influences adolescents to make unhealthy food and beverage choices, increasing their risk of developing non-communicable diseases. More research and effective measures are needed to counteract social media's negative effects on adolescent health. (Afr J Reprod Health 2024; 28 [10s]: 69-73).