Researchers in Korea have uncovered how the rise of digital food shows, from Mukbang feasts to Cookbang tutorials, is quietly reshaping when, what, and how people eat.
Study: Association between food-related media content and the eating behaviors of Korean adults according to household type. Image credit: New Africa/Shutterstock.com
A recent study in the Frontiers in Nutrition investigated the association between social media food-related content and eating behavior, depending on household type.
The effect of food-related digital content on eating behavior
An increased availability of food-related digital content, such as Mukbang, has become a global phenomenon. In South Korea, various eating broadcasts (e.g., Mukbang), cooking broadcasts (e.g., Cookbang), and drinking broadcasts (e.g., Sulbang) have gained immense popularity. Various factors contribute to the elevated viewership of food-related digital content, including increased use of digital platforms such as Instagram and YouTube, the surge in single-person households, and the shift toward solitary eating during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic.
Although watching food-related social media content provides emotional connection and vicarious satisfaction, it is also associated with excessive appetite and unhealthy dietary behaviors. Such digital content may promote changes in dietary behaviors, including increased dining out, late-night eating, and food delivery. Many studies have shown that frequent use of food delivery services and dining out is associated with high saturated fat, salt, and sugar intake. Repeated consumption of such meals increases the risk of chronic diseases.
Although many studies have assessed the association between food-related content and eating behavior, most have focused on a specific type of content, limiting a holistic view of its impact.
About the study
A recent study evaluated the association between food-related content types, i.e., Mukbang, Cookbang, and Sulbang, on specific dietary behaviors, such as late-night eating, food delivery/take-out, and dining out, among Korean adults. Since single-person households largely engage in these behaviors, the current study was stratified by household type, i.e., single- vs. multi-person households, to understand how the living environment influences eating behavior.
The current study collected data via an online survey using content-viewing questionnaires developed by the Division of Cancer Prevention at the National Cancer Center. Based on self-reported data, this survey was conducted by a professional survey company between July 10 and 23, 2024. The questionnaire was linked to sociodemographic characteristics, dietary behaviors, lifestyle factors, and content-viewing frequency and patterns.
Based on the 2024 Korean population census, participants were selected using stratified quota sampling by sex, age, and region. The current study maintained a 1:1 ratio of content viewers to non-viewers. A total of 1,270 individuals who completed the survey were considered.
The study cohort was categorized according to age (20–39 and 40–65-year age groups), region (metropolitan or non-metropolitan), household type (single-person household and multi-person household), education levels (high school or lower and college or high), alcohol consumption (non-past drinker or current drinker), monthly household income, physical activity (exercise intensity), and obesity status.
The number of content types viewed was categorized into 0, 1, 2, or 3. For each content type, weekly viewing frequency was estimated. Participants reported their eating behaviors, including late-night eating, dining out, and delivery/take-out meals. Analyses were adjusted for demographic and lifestyle covariates using multivariable logistic regression.
Study findings
Approximately 17.6% of the participants belonged to single-person households, and 82.4% to multi-person households. In the study cohort, 38.2% were aged 20-39 , and 61.8% were aged 40-65 . Furthermore, 51.5% were male, and 48.5% were female.
Compared with multi-person households, single-person households had a higher proportion of younger adults and lower monthly household income. Approximately 90.6% viewers reported watching Mukbang, 66.1% viewed Cookbang, and 40.3% watched Sulbang.
Participants reported that late-night eating occurred around 1.16 times per week, dining out around 2.5 times, and delivery or take-out meals around 1.34 times per week. Compared with multi-person households, those in single-person households had a significantly higher frequency of dining out.
Compared with those from single-person households, participants in multi-person households reported that Cookbang positively influenced their eating behavior. In contrast, single-person households had more participants who watched Sulbang for over an hour than multi-person households.
The primary reason for non-viewing Mukbang for all household types was that it was perceived as a waste of time. Interestingly, 54% of participants in single-person households believed that Mukbang could negatively impact their eating behaviors, which were higher than in multi-person households. However, no significant opinion differences were observed between Cookbang and Sulbang household types.
Participants from single- and multi-person households perceived Mukbang as increasing the odds of engaging in late-night eating and delivery/take-out meal consumption compared with non-viewers.
The association between Mukbang viewing and late-night eating was stronger among participants aged 20–39 and those residing in metropolitan areas. In single-person households, Cookbang viewing was linked with lower odds of dining out among participants aged 40-65 and greater odds of food delivery/take-out among women. In contrast, men watched Sulbang more than women, which was associated with increased odds of late-night eating and ordering food delivery/takeout.
Higher Cookbang viewing was associated with a higher food delivery/take-out likelihood. At the same time, those who watched Sulbang three to four times a week had higher odds of food delivery/take-out, late-night eating, and dining out.
Conclusions
The current study highlighted associations between content viewing and eating behavior, particularly late-night eating, food delivery/takeout, and dining out. These associations were statistically significant and more numerous among multi-person households, whereas in single-person households, only Mukbang showed consistent associations.
Given the influence of social media content on eating behavior, it may potentially serve as an effective platform to promote healthy eating habits and for educational public health purposes.
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