How Digital Food Affects Our Analog Lives: The Impact of Food Photography on Healthy Eating Behavior.

Tjark Andersen,Derek Victor Byrne,Qian Janice Wang

doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2021.634261

Abstract

Obesity continues to be a global issue. In recent years, researchers have started to question the role of our novel yet ubiquitous use of digital media in the development of obesity. With the recent COVID-19 outbreak affecting almost all aspects of society, many people have moved their social eating activities into the digital space, making the question as relevant as ever. The bombardment of appetizing food images and photography – colloquially referred to as “food porn” – has become a significant aspect of the digital food experience. This review presents an overview of whether and how the (1) viewing, (2) creating, and (3) online sharing of digital food photography can influence consumer eating behavior. Moreover, this review provides an outlook of future research opportunities, both to close the gaps in our scientific understanding of the physiological and psychological interaction between digital food photography and actual eating behavior, and, from a practical viewpoint, to optimize our digital food media habits to support an obesity-preventive lifestyle. We do not want to rest on the idea that food imagery’s current prevalence is a core negative influence per se. Instead, we offer the view that active participation in food photography, in conjunction with a selective use of food-related digital media, might contribute to healthy body weight management and enhanced meal pleasure.

Highlights

Obesity continues to be a major global problem for individual welfare and a burden on national health care systems
This review aims to provide an overview of the research related to the interaction between everyday food photography habits and healthy eating behavior, suggest potential opportunities for future research as well as practical application
“State of the Art,” we review and discuss direct research relating viewing, creating, and sharing food photography and eating behavior

Summary

INTRODUCTION

Obesity continues to be a major global problem for individual welfare (see Reilly, 2003) and a burden on national health care systems (see Wang et al, 2011). On Instagram and direct digital communication, it is increasingly popular to participate actively in food content creation instead of mere passive consumption by taking photos of one’s meals and sharing it with followers, friends, and family. The number of photos uploaded to Instagram every minute has increased by 17% from 2017 to 2019 (DOMO, 2017, 2019) Such active participation is known as “user-generated content” (UGC). By publicly sharing everyday food images, people allow for a deep and intimate look into their private lives, juxtaposing the private and public spaces. In this private and public hybrid space, cultural exchange is enhanced (Ibrahim, 2015). That these authors emphasize that “food is more than just fuel for bodies” (see Connolly, 2015; Ibrahim, 2015)

Aim

A Photographic Food Diary to Promote Food Intake Memory

Findings

CONCLUSION