Internet use, dietary habits and adolescent obesity: evidence from China.

Abstract

Thewidespread use ofInternet has substantially influenced adolescents' lifestyles. This paper systematically explored the impact of Internet use on adolescent obesity and unveiled the underlying mechanism in China. We discussed the relationship among Internet use, dietary habits and obesity, and estimated the impact using panel data collected by the China Health and Nutrition Survey. Results indicated that increased Internet use significantly raised the risk of obesity among adolescents bychanging their dietary habits. With a longer time of Internet use, adolescents wouldincrease more proportion of snacks, and choose food with higher fat and protein. This paper offers anew empirical evidence for understanding the mechanism of Internet use on adolescent obesity, and provides a reference for developing countries to guide adolescents toward moderateInternet useand lower the risk of obesity.