Investigation of the effects of food advertisements broadcasted on television and social media during the covid-19 outbreak on food choices of students receiving health education

This study was planned to determine the effects of food advertisements broadcasted on television and social media during the Covid-19 pandemic process on the food choice of students receiving health education. The sample group of the study consists of 260 students between the ages of 18-30 who study at Trakya University Faculty of Health Sciences. The data of this research were collected between May and June 2020 with a questionnaire form prepared on the online system (via google form). The questionnaire used to collect the data, which includes questions about demographic characteristics, dietary habits, social media and television, Purchasing Behavior Scale (PBS) and nutrient profile model. At this research, 89.2% of the students are women and 10.8% of the students are men. It was determined that 44.6% of the students had a change in their body weight during the Covid-19 pandemic process. It was determined that 32.7% of the students had an average body weight gain of 2.0±1.29 kg and 11.9% of the students lost an average of 2.5±1.03 kg body weight. The effect of the Covid-19 epidemic process on physical activity, main meal and snack consumption was found to be statistically significant (p<0.05). It was observed that during the pandemic process, students' watching time for television and social media increased. It was determined that 41.5% of the students stated that the advertisements which they watched increased their desire to eat. It was determined that 28.8% of the students stated that the advertised food products affect their food choices. Cakes-chocolate-crackers, tea-coffee, milk and dairy products take the first place among the foods consumed by being affected by advertising. The effect of the Covid-19 epidemic process on students' total PBS scores was found to be significant (p<0.05). The effect of the Covid-19 epidemic process on food consumption in the nutrient profile model was found to be statistically significant (p <0.05). In this process, it was determined that there was a significant increase in the consumption of unhealthy snacks together with the total food intake of the students (p <0.05).