Digital Food Environment and Eating Behavior in Children and Adolescents: A Systematic Review
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The constant exposure of children and adolescents to digital food marketing represents a growing public health concern, given its association with the consumption of ultra-processed products and unhealthy eating patterns. The purpose of this study was to synthesize the available scientific evidence on the influence of the digital food environment on eating behavior in this population. A systematic review of the literature published between 2021 and 2026 was conducted across three databases, following a structured process of identification, screening, and selection that resulted in the inclusion of seventeen studies. The results showed that exposure to digital marketing consistently increased the preference for and consumption of unhealthy food products, mediated by emotional advertising, recognizable characters, and influencers, as well as by indirect mechanisms such as body dissatisfaction and emotional eating. These findings are consistent with previous research identifying food marketing as a commercial determinant of health, and extend this evidence by showing that Latin American studies, although scarce, replicate patterns similar to those reported in high-income countries. It is concluded that the digital food environment represents a relevant determinant of child and adolescent food-related health, supporting the need to strengthen regulatory policies on digital marketing directed at this population.
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