Document Type

Dissertation

Degree

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

Major/Program

Dietetics and Nutrition

First Advisor's Name

Dr.Catherine Coccia

First Advisor's Committee Title

Committee chair

Second Advisor's Name

Dr.Adriana Campa

Second Advisor's Committee Title

Committee member

Third Advisor's Name

Dr.Jean Hannan

Third Advisor's Committee Title

Committee member

Fourth Advisor's Name

Dr.Sabrina Martinez

Fourth Advisor's Committee Title

Committee member

Keywords

Social Media Use, Nutrition Education, Social Cognitive Theory, Fruits and Vegetables Intake, Young Adults, YouTube, TikTok, Content Analysis, Nutrition Content.

Date of Defense

3-30-2023

Abstract

Young adults have low fruits and vegetables intake, high use of social media, including YouTube and TikTok, and rely on social media to obtain nutrition information, which may affect food intake. This study examined the quality and reliability of fruits and vegetables videos on YouTube and TikTok using content analysis. A cross-sectional survey was also administered to young adults to examine the association between Social Cognitive Theory (SCT) constructs, including nutrition knowledge, social support, outcome expectation, reciprocal determinism, self-efficacy, and social media use on fruits and vegetables intake. Gender differences were also examined.

The study analyzed 50 popular videos from YouTube and TikTok. Half of the YouTube videos were of good quality and reliability. Nearly half of TikTok videos were of moderate quality and poor reliability. Nutrition knowledge videos had the highest quality and reliability scores, 5 and 4, respectively. Online health organizations had minimal participation on YouTube. On TikTok, there were no nutrition knowledge videos, no videos from health organizations, and limited videos created by healthcare professionals.

The study also included surveys with 275 young adults aged (18-30). Survey findings showed that higher reciprocal determinism, outcome expectations, and social support were correlated with higher self-efficacy to eat more fruits and vegetables (b=.134, p=.052), (b=.134, p=.022), and (b=.421, p=

Young adults' self-efficacy to consume fruits and vegetables may be negatively impacted by exposure to low-quality food content, like what was found on TikTok. These results may also indicate that social media use could be a useful nutrition education tool. Improved SCT constructs may assist young adults in enhancing their daily fruits and vegetables intake and self-efficacy. Further research is needed.

Identifier

FIDC011074

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