Associations between exposure to digital food marketing and food consumption in adolescence: A cross-sectional study in an emerging country

Background Evidence regarding the link between digital food marketing and eating habits is lacking in the majority world, i.e., the world regions where most people live. This study sought to investigate i) self-reported exposure to digital food marketing, ii) associations between such exposure and socio-demographic characteristics, and iii) associations between said exposure and food consumption frequency among adolescents in a Latin American country (Uruguay). Methods A sample of adolescents in grades 1–6 attending 29 public and 10 private high schools (n = 1542) was obtained through a cross-sectional survey using a stratified, two-stage cluster probability-based sampling approach. Participants filled out closed and open-ended questions about exposure to digital food marketing, food consumption frequency, social media usage, and socio-demographic characteristics. The data were analyzed through descriptive statistics and ordinal logistic regressions. Results Almost 90% of participants reported having seen a food and beverage advertisement on digital media in the week prior to the survey, with more than 70% of participants recalling advertisements of fast food, soft drinks, and savory snacks. Age, socio-economic status, or total social media use did not predict exposure frequency of digital food marketing but females (vs. males) reported higher exposure. Exposure to advertisements of fast food or ultra-processed products on social media or websites and total social media use typically predicted higher reported consumption frequency of such categories. However, exposure to digital food marketing did not predict consumption frequency of fruits, vegetables, meats, or fish, although total social media use predicted lower consumption frequency of fruits and vegetables. Conclusions Mere exposure to digital food marketing and total social media use were associated with higher consumption frequency of ultra-processed products. These findings underscore the need to reduce adolescent exposure to digital food marketing featuring unhealthy foods, possibly through mandatory policies including total bans of certain foods in such marketing.